Never say Never
by JustMe-Liz
Summary: 2x05. Instead of leaving Regina alone with Daniel, David stayed to keep an eye on her - allowing him a glimpse of her humanity. In the wake of seeing who she truly is, Prince Charming can not help but feel an urge to protect her from more hurt. Evil Charming with Regina/Henry family feels.
1. Chapter 1

**So... for some reason I could not get the idea of Evil Charming out of my head. So I decided to write this to get it out of my system... It starts off after "The Doctor" where Regina kills Daniel. :( I have watched that scene a million times and I am convinced that I have an enormous girl crush on Lana Parrilla. She is perfection.**

**I know that the concept has been done before, but I am going to try my best to make it original... So here goes. Hope you enjoy.**

**I don't own anything. The majority of this chapter is taken directly from Once Upon a Time 2x05**

Chapter 1

David had run to his truck as fast as humanly possible, not saying a word when Regina jumped in next to him. Luckily the drive to the stables was too short to be awkward and he ran inside the second they arrived, Regina following him with surprising speed if one took her shoes into account. It was Regina who saw him first. Daniel. But he was holding her son up in the air, hands clamped around Henry's neck. For a second, David was surprised at the desperation in her voice.

"Daniel, let him go!"

Henry fell to the floor and David rushed forward, ushering the boy away from the stables urgently.

"Get out of here! Go!"

Regina seemed to be frozen in front of the open door and David shoved her out of the way unceremoniously, throwing his body against the door just as the man – no, monster – started moving forward. He could feel the strength of the creature at the other side of the door and looked at Regina, who was at his side once more.

"It won't hold for long. Can you cast a spell to subdue him?"

She sounded truly offended at his question.

"No, I won't use magic on him."

Irritated by her stubbornness, David reached for his gun – only to have his arm caught in her steel grip. A hysterical note had slipped into her voice as her eyes travelled from his face to the gun.

"What do you think you're doing?"

Unfortunately, there was no time for hysterics. They simply could not let this… Daniel… escape.

"He's a monster, Regina! If you won't put him down, I will!"

His voice sounded harsher than he had intended it too and Regina grabbed onto his arm desperately, moving closer to him.

"David, please! Just let me talk to him!"

He shook his head swiftly, trying to ignore the obvious emotion in her expressive eyes.

"It's too big of a risk! There's no telling what he'll do!"

Any other sane person, would have let go of the angry man with the gun. Not Regina. She continued her pleading, eyes searching his face.

"Out of the way, Regina, now!"

He shoved her away once more, ignoring the pang of guilt he felt when her back crashed against the wall with a loud thud. She was back next to him within seconds, hitting him with ineffectual fists. She kept shoving, slapping, punching without the necessary strength to hurt him. If there was a trace of hysteria in her voice, it was in full force now.

"No! I won't let you hurt him! He'll listen to me! Please!"

She finally stopped hitting at him, but her hands remained on his arm in a pleading gesture and the hysteria slipped from her voice, making room for only defeat.

"Let me talk to my fiancé."

If he was being honest, he could not say that he was concerned about Regina's safety – rather the repercussions would be for the town if this monster escaped. David nodded hesitantly, unable to deny her pleading any longer. He started moving away, convincing himself that Henry was now his only priority. He stopped when he noticed the crouched figure in the doorway and against his better judgement moved to kneel next to Henry, his eyes fixated on Regina. For some reason, he was suddenly unwilling to leave her alone with the ominous danger. Regina had opened the door and now seemed to be frozen, as she stared at the man in front of her. David suppressed a gasp when bloodied hands closed around Regina's throat and he made a grab for Henry when the boy attempted to storm forward. He winced when Regina was thrown against the wall violently, watching helplessly as she struggled for air. David motioned for Henry to stay and his hand clasped around his gun. He moved forward slowly, carefully and froze when he heard her strained voice.

"Daniel… please stop. It's me… I love you."

Her last words were drowned and David lifted his gun, prepared to take the other man down. Before he could shoot, however, something seemed to register in the other man's mind and he let go of Regina, watching dazedly as she gasped for breath. David hesitated. Now was the perfect time to make his move, but for some reason he couldn't.

"Regina?"

Never before had David heard that particular name whispered with so much adoration and love, and a small pang stabbed his heart when she moved into the man's arms, sobbing.

"Daniel… I can't believe it's really you!"

The sweet reunion did not last long before Daniel backed away and groaned in pain, bending over as though a thousand knives were stabbing through him.

"Stop. Just stop the pain."

In that moment it was apparent that Regina would do whatever she could to help this man and as he looked at the emotions playing on her face, David could not help but feel like an intruder.

"How?"

Daniel's hands moved to Regina's throat again and David held onto his gun tighter. Instead of hurting her again, however, Daniel caressed her face gently his eyes gazing into hers.

"Let me go."

David did not expect Regina to be satisfied with his answer for a second and her reply did not shock him.

"No. No, I won't lose you again."

She hesitated and her voice dropped in volume. More emotion than he had ever expected from her was present when she reached to touch Daniel's face.

"Without you I'm lost."

Daniel groaned in pain again and Regina grabbed onto him as though she could take his pain away with sheer will.

"Daniel… Daniel, come back to me."

Even David felt a hint of disappointment at the man's answer.

"I can't."

"But I love you." It was a tortured whisper that escaped Regina's lips and Daniel touched her face again.

"Then love again."

His words were barely cold before the true Daniel disappeared, reverting back into the monster David had first seen. He moved away from her hesitantly before storming forward with outstretched hands. A pain filled gasp left Regina's lips and she lifted her hands, freezing him in place. For a minute everything was frozen and quiet except for Regina's soft sobs. David could see the conflicting emotions in her eyes before she waved over the man's body with her free hand, disintegrating him to nothing more than dust. David waited, unsure of what he was expecting. All he knew, was that he certainly did not expect the anguished sob to leave her lips.

"Goodbye Daniel."

David reacted on instinct, storming forward when he saw her sinking to the ground. His arms wrapped around her, catching her before she could fall and she slumped back limply. Henry shot out of his hiding spot too, grabbing on to Regina's hand desperately.

"Mom?"

He looked at David fearfully when she did not respond and in that instant David recognized the terrible guilt the young boy felt. Guilt for seeing his mother as nothing more than the Evil Queen, sympathy for what she had lost and fear for almost losing her. David shifted her in his arms – she was still slumped back, her head hanging forward limply and he moved to sit down on the sand.

"Regina? Regina, come on… talk to me."

There was still no response and he returned Henry's worried look. He could not image having to go through what she had just gone through – seeing the one you love die and then having them return only to kill them yourself? It had to be beyond painful and as he looked at the usually cold queen, he feared that this could have been enough to break her.

"Mom, please… look at me."

Either she did not want to or she was not able to, for her head remained bent over gazing into nothingness. David moved his arms slightly to lift her up as one would a baby. Ice filled his veins as her head rolled to her shoulder – as if she had no control over her muscles.

"Gramps…"

Henry's voice was laced with fear and David shook his head gently. He mustered as much confidence as he possibly could into his voice.

"Henry, I think she's just in shock… Let's take her home."

Henry nodded and walked next to David as they returned to the truck, his hand firmly clasped around his mother's.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you so much for the reviews... I was very hesitant to post this, as there are a lot of brilliant things based on this premise! It is not my intention to rip anyone off, and like I said I will do my best to be original!**

**Still own nothing.**

Chapter 2

Upon returning from the stables, David had taken Regina to her home where he followed Henry to her bedroom. He had lain her down on the bed carefully before walking to the kitchen, where Henry sat with his hands in his hair.

Despite David's best efforts, Regina remained catatonic. She did not even respond to Henry's attempts to wake her from her daze and it was starting to seem like she would not get out of her troubling state soon. David had to admit that seeing Regina, a shell of the queen she used to be, was troubling – if only for the effect it had on Henry. He sat down next to Henry, his heart dropping when he noticed the tears in the boy's eyes.

"Gramps, who was that man?"

David hesitated. A part of him wanted to allow Regina to tell her son the story, but Henry needed to understand why her mother was in the state she was in.

"His name was Daniel…"

"Did my mom love him?"

David sighed and ruffled Henry's hair distractedly.

"She did, buddy. I think she loved him a lot… They were going to get married a long time ago, but her mother killed him and she married Snow's father instead. Dr Whale managed to bring him back to life, but… it didn't turn out as it was supposed to. You saw what he had become…"

Henry nodded and looked at David curiously.

"Was he her true love?"

"Yeah… I think he might have been."

Fresh tears formed in Henry's eyes and he shook his head desperately.

"No! No, then she's not going to be okay, Gramps! She lost her true love twice, she had to kill him today… She's not going to be okay."

David pulled Henry closer, trying his best to reassure him.

"Henry, your mom is one of the strongest people I have ever met. She's going to be fine."

Henry looked up, his eyes still teary.

"Would you have been?"

It was an impossible thought to entertain – the thought of losing Snow forever and getting her back, only to lose her again through his own doing. He could not even bear the thought and yet the woman upstairs had lived through it.

"Well… we're just going to help her be okay then."

Henry looked at David curiously, still sniffing.

"You hate her. Why would you want to help her?"

David knelt down to look Henry in the eyes.

"Because you care about her, Henry. And I want you to be happy."

The decision to sleep at Regina's house did not take much thought. Henry and David had – unsuccessfully – attempted to convince Regina to eat something before going downstairs to have dinner themselves. David had a hard time convincing Henry that life had to go on as normal as possible for the two guys. If they were to carry Regina, they had to be strong. Still, Henry only picked at his food – clearly still troubled. He pushed the plate away after long minutes of pretending to eat and looked at David earnestly.

"I want to go and say goodnight to my mom."

David merely nodded and Henry ran up the stairs, throwing his mother's bedroom door open. It broke his heart to see her lying in the same position she had been in ever since they brought her home. She was curled up on her side, her eyes staring out in front of her blankly.

"Mom?"

He crawled onto the bed and moved to hug her uncomfortably.

"I'm staying here tonight… I won't leave you alone again mom. I… I love you."

She stirred at the words and his eyes widened. Henry grabbed onto her hands, looking at her hopefully.

"Mom, can you hear me?"

"Henry?"

Her voice was hoarse, cracked and more broken than he ever thought a voice could be, but the happiness to hear her speak overruled his concern and he threw himself into her embrace, allowing his own tears to fall. Regina patted his back dazedly, still unable to gather her wits.

"I love you, mom. I love you so much and I'm sorry for being awful to you. And I'm sorry about Daniel… I love you."

She moved to sit and wrapped her arms around him, burying her face in his shoulder. Her shoulders shook as she sobbed softly and Henry held her tighter, wanting nothing more than to ease her pain.

"I love you too, Henry."

David found them like that – sobbing in each other's arms and for a minute he stood still, taking in the picture with a tender smile. He moved forward after a while and put a soft hand on Henry's back.

"Come on, buddy. You need to sleep."

The fear on Regina's face was evident and without her having to say it, David knew what she was thinking. He took one of her cold hands in his impulsively and shook his head.

"Regina, no. I won't take him away from you again. He's staying here, we… we both are. We're going to take care of you."

"Why?"

David sighed. He could not blame her for her distrust – it seemed as though she had never had anyone who wanted to take care of her and for the first time he wondered if their observations of the Evil Queen had been wrong all along.

"Because Henry loves you and seeing you like this… it's tough for him. Let us help you."

She nodded faintly and ran her fingers through Henry's hair. Her lips brushed against her son's forehead and she forced a smile to her face.

"I think it's past your bedtime, sweetheart… Thank you for taking care of me."

Henry nodded and hugged her tightly again.

"I love you, mom."

Regina's smile did not reach her eyes and David watched her sadly.

"I love you too."

Henry left wordlessly, still wiping tears from his face and David turned to the broken woman on the bed. He suddenly felt awkward for seeing her in such a vulnerable state.

"Regina, if you need anything…"

The dark eyes that looked up at him seemed to be able to see right through him and he took a step back. For a second it looked like she wanted to say something, but she just nodded and he reached for the light switch, engulfing the room in darkness before tiredly walking to the guest room.

Both Henry and David were awoken from their deep slumbers when an anguished scream tore through the silent house. The tortured shrieks were unlike anything either of them had ever heard and within seconds they were in Regina's room. The woman was thrusting around on the bed, her body glistening from sweat and terrifying screams left her lips endlessly. David was frozen and Henry looked at him desperately.

"Gramps! Do something, please!"

The tears in Henry's voice shocked David to action and he moved to the bed, grabbing Regina's wrists in his hands.

"Regina… Wake up. Regina!"

He pulled her up into a seated position, his hand tapping against her cheek lightly. A raw sob tore through her throat when she opened her eyes and she looked at him, terrified and confused. Her chest heaved with deep breaths and David sat down next to her, stroking over her back in a comforting gesture.

"Just keep breathing, Regina…"

She let her breath out shakily and looked at him forlornly.

"David?"

He nodded and kept his hand on her back lightly.

"I'm here… Henry too. You're not alone."

He suspected that she would have pushed him away if she had the strength, but as it was he knew for a fact that she did not. Henry approached the pair hesitantly and climbed onto the bed, moving into his mother's embrace without a word. Regina closed her eyes and let out another breath.

"It wasn't a dream, was it?"

Without her having to share any details, both David and Henry knew at once what she was talking about and it was Henry who answered gently.

"No, mom… It wasn't."

"Daniel…"

The cry that left her lips was soft and David shifted to sit behind her. His hands travelled to her shoulders, stroking over them in an attempt to relax her.

"I'm sorry, Regina."

She had never heard his voice as gentle as it was in that instant and she turned her head to look at him blankly. Henry had not left her embrace and he looked up at her pleadingly.

"Mom, can I stay with you tonight?"

Regina nodded, thankful for her son's sensitive offer. She moved away from David's grip and moved to lie down, gathering Henry in her arms. He relaxed in her embrace and she let out a deep breath, inadvertently relaxing as she listened to her son's steady breathing. She was asleep within minutes and David made a move to leave. He was stopped by Henry's small voice before he even reached the door.

"Gramps… will you stay too? Please?"

After the day they had gone through, David found it impossible to deny Henry's request and he nodded. He approached the bed hesitantly before lying down on the edge of it – careful not to touch the woman next to him. For some reason, his grandfather's presence managed to give Henry the peace of mind to close his eyes and he fell asleep too, still wrapped up in Regina's embrace. The light of the moon shone through the window, illuminating the tear-stained faces of the two people next to him. After observing them quietly for a few minutes, David turned away from Regina and closed his own eyes, wishing the night over silently.


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you for the reviews, reads, favourites and follows... I hope you enjoy.**

**It's almost time for the new episode! Can't wait...**

**On another note, I have something that I am unsure of regarding the story... Now, I rated it M because I expect there to be some sort of sexual attraction leading to action in the fic. However, I have never written smut so I do not know whether I should change the rating to T and just imply or if I should try my hand at 'smut'? Some opinions would be nice. Thanks. ;)**

Chapter 3

Regina woke up, stunned to find herself sandwiched between her son and none other than Prince Charming. Despite the prince lying on the edge of the bed, clearly careful not to touch her, she moved away from him even further. In her haste, she tumbled to the floor, Henry caught beneath her. The loud thud woke David up and he sat up straight – only to find both the queen and Henry on the floor, wincing. Without wanting to, a smirk formed on his mouth and he burst out laughing. It was not long before Henry joined his laughter and even Regina managed a small smile. David stretched and supressed a yawn. His eyes sparkled when he looked at the pair, who was now sitting on the floor, both rubbing their heads.

"Now there's something I never thought I'd see."

The amusement in his voice was obvious and Regina lifted a brow.

"I can say the same for finding you in my bed."

Although her tone was sardonic, David could not help but notice the innuendo in her words. He explained quickly, his hands stretched out in front of them.

"You had a nightmare and… Henry asked me to stay."

Her features softened and she nodded, pulling her son into an embrace.

"Thank you, David."

"You're welcome. Hey…"

A thought suddenly struck him and he looked at her curiously.

"Why did you let me keep my real name when the curse struck?"

She shrugged, uncomfortable under his piercing gaze.

"I figured… it suited you. We all deserve to have our real names and I guess… I guess I knew the curse would break sooner or later and I didn't think you ought to go back to James. You never were much like your brother."

David's eyes widened in surprise and he leaned forward slightly.

"You knew my brother?"

She nodded and pursed her lips.

"You were never as cocky as he was. I guess you reminded me of someone."

David frowned.

"Who?"

Regina's voice lowered to a whisper.

"Me. Before I became… what I am now."

For a second repulsion flashed over David's face, but soon it was replaced with curiosity.

"What do you mean?"

Regina shrugged – she guessed that it was the trauma of the previous day, but her shields had dropped completely and she had no idea how to put them back up.

"I wasn't always royal, David. There was a time when I was just a girl… in love with a stable boy, forced to marry someone I never wanted to, forced to become someone I never wanted to be."

Henry frowned where he sat in her arms. He had always seen his mother as nothing more than the evil queen – when he thought about it, he had to realize that she couldn't have been born as the queen and he sighed deeply, looking up at her.

"Mom… I never really asked you what happened…"

"What do you mean, Henry?"

He looked at her with big, innocent eyes.

"What happened to turn you in to the Evil Queen?"

Regina was silent for a while and stood up carefully, pulling her son with her.

"I think this is a story better told on a full stomach."

Henry smiled at her and glanced at David before nodding. Regina bent down to kiss his forehead gently.

"Go get dressed, I'll start with breakfast."

Henry rushed out of the room quickly and Regina turned to her closet, catching David's still figure in the reflection of her mirror. She lifted her brow, her sarcasm returning.

"Do you mind leaving so that I can get dressed or do you want a show?"

Where David would have been irritated by her sarcasm, he now realized that it was all a mask. She was desperate to protect herself and he stood with a nod.

"Sorry…"

She simply nodded and he moved away, allowing her to dress in private. Of course he considered going home, but decided against it. When he went downstairs, both Regina and Henry were already in the living room. Regina smiled up at him hesitantly.

"We decided to go to Granny's. I… I don't feel much like cooking."

The words were out before David could think about it and Regina looked at him with confusion.

"Why?"

He sat down next to him, his own gaze softening.

"I guess… I want to hear your story too. If that's okay."

Regina's mouth was suddenly dry and she nodded after a long silence.

"Okay."

He gave her a lopsided smile and shrugged.

"Is it okay if we stop by my apartment first? I guess going to Granny's in yesterday's clothing might give people the wrong idea."

Regina smirked slightly.

"You mean they won't realize that I had to kill my true love and you stayed with me, sharing my bed to make sure I was okay."

David could not help but laugh at her statement and he leaned in closer, lowering his voice to a confidential whisper.

"I think they might just think the sharing a bed part."

Regina pulled a face and a shiver went through her body.

"Oh please, no!"

Against his better judgement, David was offended at her reaction. Granted, they hated each other but he could not believe that the thought of him was that repulsive. The thought of her sure wasn't. He was embarrassed at his thought immediately and Regina watched with interest as his ears turned scarlet. He stood quickly, wanting to avoid further conversation.

"Right… let's go to my apartment, I can hear Henry's stomach growling already."

They made their way to the apartment quickly, where David got dressed in a record time before they headed to Granny's. Regina was not surprised at Granny's reaction when she entered and for a second she thought that the woman was going to chase everyone out of the diner 'for their own good'. Her heart sank a little at the thought and David, noticing it, looked at Granny with a smile.

"Don't worry about it. She's harmless… at least today."

Regina did not know whether to be offended or not, so she simply smiled gently – trying to reassure the other woman. Granny nodded briskly and David led Regina and Henry to a booth where they settled in. Regina looked incredibly uncomfortable – not a surprise, seeing as half the town was still screaming for her death and without Emma and Snow to help protect her, the task fell to David and Archie. Impulsively, he reached for her hand and squeezed it gently.

"Ignore them, Regina. They'll get used to this – they will have to. Besides, if you think about it the curse wasn't all bad."

Regina lifted a questioning brown and David grinned.

"Running water and electricity? The food is an improvement too!"

"Are you trying to make me feel better?"

"Is it working?"

Regina nodded with a small smile.

"Thank you, David. For not… entirely hating me."

Henry was getting bored with the comforting conversation and he tugged at Regina's arm impatiently.

"Mom! The story!"

Ruby was at their table before Regina could open her mouth and she took their orders with a distrusting glance in Regina's direction. Only when she left, did Regina start speaking softly.

"Well… my father was a prince, but he was not first in line for the throne – far from it. He preferred a simple life – much to my mother's irritation. We moved to a small house far from the village, where we lived in peace. I loved it – I felt free. I could play in the field, ride my horse in the forest… I was alive. My mother hated it though…"

She took a deep breath, pausing. At that moment, Ruby arrived again. She placed the plates in front of them with a huff and left wordlessly. Regina took a sip of her water before continuing.

"She used to punish me with magic whenever I did something she did not agree with. I was so afraid of her. She wanted me to be rich and royal – she wanted me to marry a noble, but… I fell in love with the stable boy."

"Daniel."

Henry breathed out the name, entranced by her story. He could not imagine his mother being in love – much less with a simple stable boy.

"Yes… Daniel. One day we met up in secret and… I spotted a girl on a runaway horse. I saved her and…"

This time, it was David who interrupted her – his voice sad and sympathetic.

"It was Snow, wasn't it?"

Regina nodded and swallowed back tears.

"Her father wanted to marry me and before I could refuse, my mother accepted. I was terrified… I couldn't lose Daniel, I couldn't lose the love of my life so we decided to run away and get married, but… Snow saw us and I made her promise to keep my secret. I couldn't marry the king, but… she told my mother."

Regina took a deep breath and when she spoke again, the trace of anger in her voice was palpable.

"My mother stopped us before we could run away and she ripped Daniel's heart out… She crushed it in front of me and as much as I tried… there was nothing I could do. I couldn't save him."

Tears were pooling in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. Henry slipped a hand into hers, willing her to continue.

"So I married the king… and he kept me locked up in a castle, only allowing me outside when I was with him or Snow. I had no way of escaping, no way of getting away from the miserable nightmare my life had become. I couldn't handle it anymore, I couldn't live like that so… I switched it off. Everything I felt, I switched all the pain, all the hope, all the love I had off and focused on my anger. It was the only thing that kept me alive."

She released a long breath and closed her eyes. She never thought she would have to tell the story again. Both Henry and David were quiet enough, David caught in his own thoughts. If it wasn't for Snow… if King George had found her and killed her – right in front of him, no less – surely, he would not have been the person he was now. Who was to say that he would not have travelled down the same road as Regina had? He reached for her hand and brushed his thumb over her soft skin gently.

"I'm sorry, Regina."

Once again, she managed to switch off all emotion and put her mask back in place. She lifted her chin and forced herself to smile.

"What's done is done. I wanted to avenge Daniel, but… casting a curse out of vengeance… I know it was wrong. I'm evil… and as much as I want to blame Snow, my mother, anyone… I only have myself to blame."


	4. Chapter 4

**Thanks again for reading, following and reviewing! **

**So I took some liberties with magic and portals in this chapter, just a fair warning! ;) **

**DISCLAIMER: If it were mine, Regina would be much happier and get much more lovin' than she does.**

Chapter 4

For Henry, his mother's story caused a million mixed feelings. Sure, she was right when she admitted that it was wrong to cast the curse, however… after hearing what she had been through, he could not in all honesty say that she was truly evil. She was just terribly sad. He sighed deeply, causing David to look at him with a small frown.

"What's wrong, Henry?"

Henry shrugged.

"I was just thinking about my mom… Gramps, do you think she'll ever have a true love again?"

"I don't know, buddy… maybe. Maybe it is possible to have more than one true love, maybe she'll meet someone and be happy."

Henry nodded and searched David's face, relieved when he saw the compassion the man clearly had.

"I just… I don't think she's evil, you know. I just think she's very sad."

After a long silence, David nodded.

"You know what, Henry? I think so too."

Henry moved, cuddling against David.

"I wanted the curse to break, I wanted to show everyone that she was the Evil Queen, but now… now I just want my mom to be happy."

As much as David wanted to, there was no comfort he could give. He could not make the promise that Regina would ever be happy and judging by the events of the previous day, the odds were certainly not in her favour.

_Love again._

Daniel's words haunted him, and he thought deeply. Would he be able to love again? What if Snow and Emma never came back, what if he had to spend the rest of his life without his true love? Would he ever be able to love again or would he become what Regina was? A shell of the person he used to be, barely recognizable. It was Regina herself who broke through his thoughts as she descended the stairs. For a while, David observed her quietly. Before even meeting her, he had heard rumours of the Queen's astonishing beauty, yet he never truly believed it – until he saw her for the first time. He hated her, of course he did, but yet… When she saved him from King George – even when she threatened the life of his true love – there was a part of him that noticed her beauty. He would not have been human if he hadn't. He preferred the look she had as mayor over her sultry, seductive appearance as Queen, however. When he met her in the Enchanted Forest, her beauty was striking, but almost artificial – dark, seductive, alluring. As mayor, it was easier to spot her natural beauty. She did not need the extravagant make up and clothes to be beautiful – she simply was. He was too engrossed in his observations of her appearance to notice that she came to a standstill. Regina observed David worriedly – he was staring at her as though he was seeing her for the first time and truth be told, it unnerved her.

"David…? What's wrong?"

He shook his head dazedly and his ears turned red at his thoughts. Had he truly just been admiring Regina's appearance? She would probably have his head if she had any inclination of what he had been thinking. The words almost escaped his lips, but luckily he managed to prevent them.

"I was just thinking about how b… How much I miss Snow."

Regina bit down on her lip, considering her words carefully.

"I could help, you know? I don't know what I'd do, but I could try to help you find a way."

She looked at Henry nervously.

"I'd… I'd have to use magic though."

Henry's heart jumped painfully at her frightened statement. Once more he had something to feel guilty about – he had been so horrible to his mother, that she felt as though she needed his permission to use magic. Even if it was to help someone. Only now did he realize how much she loved him and how scared she was of losing him.

"It's okay, mom. You want to help and… It's okay if you use magic for good."

Regina knelt in front of Henry, looking at him earnestly. Her features were softened and like David, Henry could not help but notice how beautiful his mother was.

"I will never use it for evil again, Henry. I promise."

It had been a long day and both Regina and David were tired. They had spent the entire day, fruitlessly looking for a way to save Snow and Emma. Where they sat on Regina's couch, David could see that she was barely awake. Her eyes were closed and her head was leaned back against the couch. She jolted suddenly, eyes opening and she looked at him fervently.

"A portal! Why didn't I think of it? We need a portal."

David frowned and leaned forward.

"Regina, the hat was destroyed."

"Then we find another portal. I am sure it's possible, David… I can try to create one – it isn't easy and it will take some time, but I am one of the most powerful practitioners of magic who has ever lived, I can manage it - I'm sure of it."

David frowned slightly. Of course he wanted her to try, but he also knew that all magic came with a price and he did not think it fair if Regina had to be the one to pay that price.

"Won't it be dangerous?"

She hesitated and for just a second the truth flashed in her eyes. Then she put on a confident smile and shook her head.

"No. If I do it right – and I swear, I will – if I do it right, I promise you, David… no harm will come to Emma or Snow."

David leaned forward and took her hand in his. He figured that she was so used to being alone, she would not be able to believe that anyone could be concerned for her wellbeing.

"Regina, I wasn't talking about Emma or Snow. I was talking about you. Will you be safe?"

"Of course."

Her answer came too quickly and David pursed his lips.

"Don't lie to me, Regina."

She sighed and avoided his eyes.

"I don't know, David. It's complicated magic, there is no telling what the results will be."

His voice softened as he looked at the determination on her face.

"Regina… I don't want you to put yourself in danger. It isn't fair."

She could not help but think that his words were a far cry from his reaction when Emma and Snow first fell through the portal – he had gone from wanting to kill her himself to being concerned about her safety. She looked up at him and there was not a trace of sarcasm in her voice when she spoke.

"Why, David? I mean… why do you care all of a sudden?"

He sighed deeply. It was something that he had been thinking about too and he could not blame her for asking.

"Regina, I always saw you as the Evil Queen. Nothing more, nothing less. It never crossed my mind that there was more to you and now… you're human, Regina. As much as you try to show the world that you are made of steel, you're not."

She shrugged, feeling small and vulnerable.  
"But you could get your wife and daughter back. Surely that outweighs any concern for my humanity."

"Henry would hate me if I allowed you to put yourself in danger and I… I'd never be able to forgive myself."

Regina moved her fingers to his chest softly, a strange look in her eyes.

"You must have such a pure heart, David."

It shocked him that there was no fear present in him as her fingers trailed over his chest. In another life, he would have pulled away – fearing the worst, but now… for some reason he just knew that Regina would not harm him. He caught her hand in his and squeezed it.

"I don't think your heart is as black as you think it is."

She plunged her heart into her chest without hesitation, pulling it out with her.

"Regina…"

David's voice was reduced to a gasp and she shrugged, observing the heart in her hands.

"Black as coal."

He took the beating heart out of her hands gently and she gasped, fearing that he would crush it as her mother had done to Daniel. Instead, he lifted it to observe it intently.

"No. No, it's not."

He held the heart out to her, pointing at a vague reddish hue forming underneath the black.

"I guess that's where Henry lives."

She inhaled sharply and he handed the heart back to her, watching as she put it where it belonged once more. The distraught expression on her face tore through him and he reached out, pulling her into her arms. For a few minutes it was uncomfortable and Regina wanted nothing more than to disappear. After a while, she relaxed in his embrace and although she would still not allow the tears to fall, she buried her face in his neck and allowed herself to feel safe.


	5. Chapter 5

**Thanks for the reading, follows, favourites and reviews. I'm not one to beg for reviews, but I am breaking my own personal rule here... Please tell me what you think? **

**DISCLAIMER: Not mine.**

Chapter 5

Weeks passed, and to David, Henry and Regina's frustration they were no closer to finding Snow and Emma than they had been on the dreadful day they were taken. David easily noticed that the frustration was getting to Regina – she was irritable, short-tempered and downright bitchy. It had been another long day, and after Henry had fallen asleep, Regina decided to bring the topic of magic up again.

"If you just let me create some sort of portal, if you let me…"

"No, Regina!"

She threw her hands up in the air at his harsh tone.

"Why not?"

David took a step closer and grabbed on to her shoulders.

"Because I don't want you to die, trying to save them."

Regina almost allowed herself to be touched by his kind words, but decided on taunting him instead.

"Why? Do you want to do it yourself after they are back?"

He shook his head angrily and almost shook her out of her stupidity.

"I do not want you to die."

"Why would you care whether I live or die?"

He could have used Henry – or even guilt – as an excuse, but deep down he knew it wasn't the truth. He looked down at her, struck once again by the emotion in her eyes.

"I don't know. I just do."

She was suddenly reminded of the time before the curse broke, when she had planned on seducing him. It was partly to hurt Snow (after all, most things she did was to hurt Snow), but he had been kind to her, caring and in that instant, she wanted to feel as though someone cared. She wanted him to desire her. His mouth was so close to her face and she wondered what it would be like to kiss him.

He wouldn't be rough like Graham, or passionate like Hook. She severely doubted that his kisses would be sloppy like Leopold's. If she had to compare, she guessed that his kiss would be soft, gentle… like Daniel's innocent kisses.

Daniel.

The thought of her true love woke her from her hazy thoughts and she pushed him away roughly.

"What are you doing?"

He took a large step black, suddenly pale.

"I'm sorry, Regina… I don't know what I was thinking, I just…"

David shrugged. Snow had been gone for a LONG time and he was a red blooded male – and Regina was a gorgeous woman, of course there would be some attraction caused by his immense sexual frustration. She still seemed offended where she leaned against the wall and David released a breath.

"You are beautiful."

She was trapped between his body and the wall once more and he bent his head down to kiss her. This time, so unlike before, it was Regina who pulled away, trying to duck his searching lips.

"David… don't."

She had meant for her voice to be forceful, but it came out as a pathetic whisper. Snow was the furthest thing from his mind as he allowed his eyes to travel over her. Dark hair, expressive chocolate eyes, flawless skin, full red lips… his hands moved to touch a scar he only now noticed on her upper lip.

"What happened?"

She slapped his hand away, unwilling to answer and turned her head to avoid his gaze. It did not deter him and he moved his hand to caress the small mark again.

"It doesn't matter. It makes you even more beautiful."

Regina pursed her lips. She could feel the magic bubbling in her fingertips, begging her to take the quick escape it could give her. She promised Henry though… All logical thought of promises and doing good left her when she saw him leaning in, his head coming closer and she lifted her hands, blasting him away from her. He winced when he landed against the wall and looked up at her petulantly.

Regina approached him and the look in her eyes clearly showed him why the Evil Queen was feared throughout the forest.

"Now you listen to me carefully, _Charming…_ I am not some whore you can entertain yourself with while your precious wife is away. If you want to keep your hands attached to your body, I suggest you keep them off of me."

She spun on her heel and moved to the stairs, shooting him a last vicious glance.

"I do not expect to find you in my house tomorrow morning."

As much as David hated the thought of leaving Henry alone with Regina, he could clearly see that he did not have much of a choice. He hated himself for what he had almost done. How could he even think about noticing Regina in _that _way? The answer was right in front of him, as much as he hated it – ever since he saw her human side, her vulnerability, he had allowed himself to see her as an actual woman and he found that woman extremely alluring. He smirked to himself. He could only imagine Snow's reaction if she was ever to find out about his treacherous thoughts. Yet… a grin formed on his lips as he thought of Regina's threat. Although she was furious, there was a bit of fire that had returned to her eyes and he preferred the anger, any emotion, over the dead emptiness that had resided in her since Daniel's second death. He fell down on his bed with a deep sigh. The previous night, he had slept on Regina's bed with the woman right next to him and the thought of touching her – even in sleep – was terrifying. Tonight, his bed felt terribly empty and as much as he tried to deny it, he longed for a body next to him. What worried him was that the warm body he imagined next to him was not Snow's. Instead, as he closed his eyes and prepared to drift off to sleep, it was Regina's petite frame he imagined next to him.

In her own bed, Regina bristled with anger. She could not believe the audacity of the man. And he was supposed to be charming? Her entire body stiffened at the thought that he could have kissed her and she bit down on her lip hard when she realized that she wasn't truly repulsed by the thought. Angry, yes. Shocked, yes. Offended because of the situation with him being Snow's husband? Of course. Yet, not repulsed. After all, David was not the ugliest man in the world. He was no Daniel, of course. She stifled a sob and curled up in a small bundle. She missed Daniel with every fibre of her being and seeing him again after so many years, only to watch him slip through her fingers, was pure torture. She shouldn't have killed him – perhaps there was another way, a way to help him. Perhaps there was something she could have done to bring the real Daniel back to her, perhaps…

"Mom?"

Henry appeared in the doorway sleepily and Regina looked at him through her tears.

"Yes, dear?"

He moved closer hesitantly and crawled onto the bed with her. He nestled his head against her shoulder.

"I heard you crying."

Regina sniffed, embarrassed for showing so much weakness.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart."

Henry looked shocked and he shook his head.

"No, mom…don't be sorry. It's okay to be sad."

Regina forced herself to smile.

"But it's not okay to stop being a mother because of that sadness."

"You're still my mom. Where's gramps?"

Regina bit down on her lower lip, the image of David pinning her against the wall fresh in her mind again.  
"He… he wanted to spend the night at his apartment. He missed Snow I guess and he didn't want to wake you."

Henry nodded.

"I'm glad he didn't wake me up. I'd rather stay here with you anyway."

Regina could hardly believe her son's words and almost started crying all over again. She pulled him closer, nearly smothering him in her embrace.

"I love you so much, Henry."

There was a time – not too long ago – when Henry would have doubted the truth behind her words, but all of that had changed in the last few days. So he snuggled up against her with a gentle smile.

"I know, mom. I love you too."


	6. Chapter 6

**Thanks for the reviews and reading… Hope you enjoy this chapter. Please tell me what you think! **

**DISCLAIMER: Not mine**

Chapter 6

After a restless night, David was nervous to see Regina – which was the reason why he was standing on her doorstep, afraid to knock. Another reason for his shot nerves was the awkward dreams that he had had the previous night – the entire night. He had been plagued by dreams of her – her eyes, her face, her hands, her lips… and after rolling around for hours, unable to get the picture of her out of his dreams, they started turning erotic. Come to think of it, he wasn't sure that plagued was the right word. Awkward as it was to admit, he quite enjoyed the dreams – and the feeling he had when he woke up. If only it had been enough to release the sexual frustration that had been piling up within him – instead it only served to make it worse. His thoughts were a confused jumble and he was lost in them – too lost to notice that the door had opened.

Regina froze when she opened her door to find the charming prince standing there silently. Her mouth went dry and she took an involuntary step back.

"David…"

She breathed his name and he swallowed thickly. The hoarseness of her voice somehow managed to throw him back into his dreams where she had whispered his name over and over in a passionate frenzy as he explored every inch of her perfect body. He took a large step forward, penetrating her personal bubble without hesitation. Before she could use her hands to blast him away from her once more, he caught both her wrists in one hand and stared down at her.

"Regina, just listen to me."

She shut her eyes, trying to block him out and her hands balled into fists in his steel grip.

"I can't stop thinking about you, I can't stop… What did you do to me?"

Her eyes flew open at the accusation and she gasped.

"What?"

"You heard me. What did you do to me? A curse, a spell? Tell me!"

He could feel her trembling with anger against his body and her eyes flew to his, fury shining in them.

"You think I… that… a curse? A spell? You think I am so desperate… I…"

"Mom? Gramps?"

The second she heard Henry's voice, Regina was relieved that David's grip was restraining her from using magic – she had a feeling he would not have appreciated it. David, however, wasn't so lucky and he let go of her guiltily. Once out of his grip, Regina took a few large steps back, moving away from him as far as possible.

Henry glanced from his mother to his grandfather suspiciously.

"What's going on?"

David simply stood frozen in his spot, his mouth gaping open and after enjoying his flustered demeanour for a few seconds, Regina moved toward Henry with a small smile.

"David is just… frustrated, sweetheart."

David huffed – she had no idea exactly how frustrated he was, however it was definitely not the same type of frustration that she was trying to explain to her son. Henry was still not satisfied.

"I don't understand. He was hurting you."

David's eyes caught Regina's over Henry's head and the realization burnt through him when he glanced down at his hands. He hadn't even realized it – she was so powerful, so strong that it wasn't always easy to remember that her body was so small, so frail…

Henry approached him, his eyes showing exactly how conflicted he was.

"I don't get it. You're a good guy, why would you hurt her? What did she do? "

Regina grimaced. When she was the one who had hurt David, Henry was quick to announce that it was who she was, he was quick to show that it was what was expected from her. However, when dear Prince Charming did something wrong, it was a great shock to all involved and surely, despite her being the so-called victim, it had to be her fault. Of course – heroes never caused harm, did they? David seemed to have read her mind and he knelt down in front of Henry.

"I'm sorry, buddy… Your mom didn't do anything wrong, she didn't do anything to make me angry. She's just trying to help and I… I was wrong. What I did, hurting your mom and getting angry at her… it was my fault."

Regina slumped back against the wall a little. It felt strange to have someone defend her and she glanced at her son. All suspicion had left Henry's face and he now looked at David with something akin to anger.

"We talked about this! You said that my mom wasn't evil that she was just sad and now you're just making it worse! Why would you hurt her?"

Shock registered in Regina's eyes and she stared at David, her face ghostly pale. He stood slowly, trying desperately to find an explanation. Once again, it was Regina who saved him.

"Henry… why don't you go and get dressed? We can have breakfast at Granny's again."

Henry hesitated.

"No… I don't want to leave you with him. What if he hurts you again?"

Pain flashed on David's face and Regina could not help the tinge of satisfaction at that. It was good to see Henry's distrust directed at someone else. David knelt down in front of Henry again, his blue eyes sincere.

"I promise… I won't hurt her again, Henry. I'll never hurt your mom again."

Henry seemed to believe him and rushed back – not without a last concerned glance at Regina. She waited until he was upstairs before she turned to David.

"How heroic."

"Regina…"

She circled him as a lion would its prey – slowly, deadly. She was clearly furious and David had to admit that she had a few reasons to be so.

"I'm sorry."

"Sorry?"

She was pressed against him within seconds, her index finger pointing at his chest dangerously.

"What are you sorry for, Charming? For discussing me with my son behind my back? For attempting to hurt me? For accusing me of being desperate enough to cast some sort of lust spell on… on _you_ of all people?"

She laughed gruffly and her voice lowered as she moved away from him once more.

"I assure you that I have never needed magic to seduce anyone."

She spun away from him and he reached out at the last second, grabbing her arm and twisting her towards him again. His mouth was on hers before she could even blink and Regina acted out of pure instinct, running her fingers through his hear as his mouth explored hers persistently.

David could hardly believe what he had done – he never could have foreseen a situation in which he would be kissing the Evil Queen, only… Regina wasn't exactly the Evil Queen anymore and…

Her mouth opening under his hesitantly kicked all logical thoughts out of his mind and he wrapped his arms around her, lifting her up against him. He moved back two steps and spun them around to press her back against the closed door as his mouth travelled down her jaw to her neck, his hands tangling in her dark hair desperately. Without realizing it, Regina tilted her head back to expose more of her soft skin and David latched onto it hungrily before moving back up to devour her lips. Then she pulled away as suddenly as she had relented and pushed herself out of his arms, her eyes wide.

"No…"

He smiled uncomfortably and stuffed his hands in the pockets of his jeans.

"Come on… I'm not that bad of a kisser, am I?"

She looked at him through betrayed eyes.

"David… this… you can't do this. You can't make me do this. I am trying to be good."

He approached her again and she cowered away from him, only he wouldn't have it. He pulled her into a chaste embrace and his voice was thick when he spoke.

"You are good, Regina."

She pressed against his chest and pushed him away from her gently. For a mere second, she allowed her palm to rest against his cheek.

"I am lonely, David. I just lost the love of my life for a second time, I am hurt and lonely and in all honesty… I hate Snow more than ever for what she had taken from me. But I am trying to be worthy of Henry. Don't make it harder than it already is."

With that, she disappeared up the stairs – leaving David breathless and guilty against the wall.


	7. Chapter 7

**Thanks for the reviews! As much as I want Regina and David to just hook up already, I want her to make him work for it a little… So I hope you enjoy me torturing David!**

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

Chapter 7

Despite the gnawing guilt, David could not help but analyse every small detail of their kiss. Her lips were fuller than Snow's and incredibly soft under his. Her short hair felt like silk between his fingers and she was surprisingly light – he continued to be astounded by her size. She had always seemed so tall and fierce, but every day he was more aware of how petite she was. She was smaller than Snow, she could almost fit right under his shoulder. He hated himself for kissing her and hated himself even more for comparing her with his beloved wife. What he hated himself for even more, was the desire to kiss her again – to feel her tremble in his arms, her lips under his… He was upstairs before he was even aware of the fact that his feet were moving and he stopped in front of her bedroom door. She was seated on the edge of the bed, staring at her hands quietly.

"Regina?"

She looked up through stormy eyes and he sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"Can I come in?"

Regina shrugged and pursed her lips.

"It's not like you've asked permission for anything else today."

He sighed and moved in, sitting down next to her.

"I suppose I deserved that."

"You think?"

Her hands twitched in her lap and he found himself studying them. Small hands with the ability to rip hearts out without a second thought.

"Regina, I am sorry."

She lifted her chin and stared up at the roof, trying to prevent David from seeing any emotion whatsoever.

"Of course you are."

He bent over slightly and covered his face with his hands. Regina glanced down at him, casually observing the muscles on his back, rippling under his shirt.

"I don't know what's happening to me."

His voice was muffled by his hands and Regina frowned.

"What are you talking about?"

David moved up and shifted closer to her. He pressed his hand against her cheek gently before running it through her hair.

"I wasn't lying about what I said earlier, Regina. I can't stop thinking about you. I can't get you out of my mind and right now… as much as I shouldn't, as horrible as it is, as guilty as I feel… the only thing I can think of is kissing you again."

Shock registered on her face and he looked at the wide eyes and parted lips so close to his.

"Mom, I…"

Henry's excited voice stopped as he noticed the pair sitting so close together and he approached them hesitantly.

"What's going on?"

David groaned inwardly. It seemed as though he could not catch a break today, Henry had a way of noticing almost every mistake he made. Regina covered his hand with hers and attempted a comforting smile.

"David was… apologizing, Henry. He…"

"I felt really bad about hurting your mom, so I came here to see if she was okay. I thought… I owed her an apology."

Henry nodded reluctantly.

"Mom, are we still going to Granny's?"

"Yes, dear. Of course. I'll be right down."

A grin appeared on his face.

"I'll go get your keys so long."

He ran down the stairs quickly, and David took his chance to turn to Regina again.

"Thank you. That's the second time today that you've saved me…"

"Don't get used to it."

She stood with a small smile and he grabbed her hand, keeping her in place.

"Regina…"

Again he leaned in towards her and Regina's breath hitched in her throat. Even if he wasn't holding her in place, she still wouldn't have been able to move. His lips brushed against hers – gently this time, lightly caressing them. Regina suppressed a moan when he forced her lips open with his tongue and she wrapped her hands around his neck, unable to resist his seductive kiss. David groaned against her mouth as she responded to his kiss and he pushed her toward the bed, tumbling down on top of her. Her hands travelled from his neck to his  
back, over his chest, to his cheeks, into his hair. She pulled away from him after what felt like an eternity and looked at him with eyes clouded over by lust. She could feel the evidence of his arousal against her thigh, she could see the desire in his eyes. David bent his head down again, nibbling at her ear and neck. He pulled her shirt from her pants and carefully slipped his hand in under the material, exploring the soft skin of her stomach. His hand moving over her skin broke through Regina's resolve and she gave up every semblance of self-control she had, pushing her body closer to his. David moved his hands back down and ran them over her thighs, allowing her to wrap her legs around his lower body. He pushed against her harder and his lips moved back to her mouth, his tongue clashing with hers fiercely. Somehow a semblance of logic shocked through them and they pulled away from each other, breath racing. David rubbed his nose against hers with a sigh.

"Regina…"

She moved to sit, pushing him away gently. David did not relent, but moved closer to her and pressed soft kisses against her neck.

"David, no…"

She pushed him away again and took a shuddering breath.

"Henry is downstairs. Even if he wasn't… this shouldn't happen."

David didn't respond. She was right, of course she was right but he could feel the same desire that had been rushing through him for days now within her too.

"Regina, do you want it to happen?"

His voice was thick with desire and she closed her eyes, willing all thoughts of love, lust, vulnerability and desire away.

"It doesn't matter if we want it to happen, David. It shouldn't."

He nodded slowly and allowed the reality of his desire to settle in him.

"You're right. Of course you're right. I'm sorry, Regina. I don't…"

She held a finger up to his mouth to silence him.

"Don't. Just… don't."

Some things were better left unsaid, he realized this. He also realized that she thought he was using her as a replacement for Snow, just like he thought she was using him as a replacement for Daniel. Even deeper down, there was the glimmer of a realization that perhaps it was not true. Perhaps there was something more. Perhaps he did not desire Regina as a replacement for Snow.

Perhaps he desired Regina simply for herself.

Just like the previous time, the group of three received a lot of strange looks when they entered Granny's. David awkwardly ignored the stares, while Regina pointedly stared back – clearly unaffected. They settled into a booth quickly, ordering food from a reluctant Ruby. Henry's eyes moved from one to the other endlessly, noticing the awkward looks they kept sharing.

"Do you have a plan yet? To get back Emma and Snow?"

His question surprized them and David gave Regina a warning glance. He stopped her when she opened her mouth to answer and shook his head.

"We're working on it, Henry. We came across a few… dead ends. Nothing that's going to work."

Regina pursed his lips, trying to push her fear down. She knew without doubt that David would convince Henry that the idea of creating a portal was too dangerous, so she opted not to mention it. Instead, she reached for Henry's hand with a soft gaze.

"We'll find a way, Henry. I promise."


	8. Chapter 8

**Wow, I am so flattered by the good reviews! I can't thank you enough. I am glad you're enjoying this story!**

**DISCLAIMER: Not mine.**

Chapter 8

"We need to talk."

David approached Regina the second Henry disappeared into his bedroom and she scoffed irritably.

"No. We don't."

"Regina!"

"David?"

He threw his hands into the air, frustrated beyond measure. Regina followed him with her eyes, as he fell down on her couch with closed eyes.

"You kissed me back."

Regina sighed deeply and sat down next to him.

"That doesn't mean anything, David. It was a mistake and I suggest you forget it."

She lifted her hand and aimed it at David's head, a purple glow forming in her palm. David grabbed her wrist before she could touch his head, frowning confusedly.

"What are you doing?"

Regina smiled tiredly.  
"I am taking your memories, David. Just… Just the ones that you shouldn't have. The ones that will eat you up inside."

David could not hide his shock – not because she wanted to solve a problem with magic, but because she was willing to be selfless. His grip around her wrist tightened and he pulled her hand down to her lap. They had been working together for quite a long time now and he had grown to care about her, to even like her.

David leaned forward impulsively and brushed his lips against hers.

"Don't. I don't want to forget it."

"David…"

It was a pained whisper and it broke through the last thin walls of protection he had around his heart. He lifted a finger to his lips and shook his head, unable to speak through his constricted throat.

"No… don't say anything."

Her hands moved through his hair of their own accord and she bent her head forward, her breathing shallow.

"David… Remember who I am. I'm the Evil Queen, I'm… I'm a villain."

Although she meant for the words to discourage him, it only served to make his desire for her stronger and he shook his head.

"No, Regina… you're not."

He smashed his lips to her suddenly and she felt herself respond to his kiss once again, giving in without a second thought. His tongue darted out to caress her lower lip, silently begging for entrance. Regina hesitated and for a dreadful second David feared that she was going to push him away. After the initial hesitation, however, she relented and opened her mouth under his, welcoming his kiss. David groaned when he moved his mouth downwards to taste the soft skin on her neck and shoulder. Regina pushed him away suddenly, her hands grabbing onto his hair. Her eyes were conflicted, but lust soon settled in them and she stretched her neck to brush her lips against his quickly.

"This is a one-time thing, Charming."

David smiled against her lips and lifted her up in his arms.

"Understood. I'll take what I can get."

They moved up the stairs between clumsy kisses and David kicked her bedroom door closed when they entered her room. She let out a supressed yelp when the tumbled down on the bed, David falling down on her. Her heart was beating frantically, the reality of what they were about to do settling down on her.

She had to stop him, she couldn't do this.

He was Prince Charming for crying out loud! He was one of the many people she had tried killing back in the Enchanted Forest. He was married to her arch enemy and he was a dim-witted shepherd-turned-king! He was Henry's grandfather!

Henry.

Henry would never forgive her if he found out.

His lips brushed against hers again and she moaned softly.

He was the one who comforted her after she had to kill Daniel. He was the one who stayed with her to make sure she was okay. He was the first person to be worried about her safety in a long, long time. He was her friend… wasn't he?

Daniel.

Her true love's face flashed before her eyes and a sob stuck in her throat. She couldn't have Daniel, she could never have Daniel again and… was it that wrong to feel cared for? Even if it was Prince Charming, even though they would most certainly regret it in the morning, even though she despised him…

His hand had travelled up her skirt without her having noticed and she let out a sharp hiss when his fingers started tracing patterns on her inner thighs. The hesitation was back.

The truth was that she truly had come to see him as a friend and she knew beyond all doubt that what they were doing would only serve to ruin that friendship – a friendship she secretly treasured. It took every ounce of restraint she had, but she managed to push him away using magic. David landed on his back on the floor and he looked up at her with a confused frown.

"What the hell, Regina?"

She shook her head, slightly out of breath.

"I'm sorry, David… But I can't. I just can't."

She was right and he knew it. That didn't mean he liked it. He nodded, however, and made his way out of her room without looking back. It was insanity – he had absolutely no logic to explain the way he desired her, the lust he felt when he looked at her. He had tried reasoning that it was sexual frustration, he had tried telling himself that it was not serious. He even tried to convince himself that she had put a spell on him. He ran his hands through his hair and tried to calm his racing heart. How was it possible that he was so enamoured with her that _she_ was the one who managed to put a stop to it every time? She was the Evil Queen and although he now knew that she wasn't pure evil, he also had to admit that she was no saint. To top it all, she was vulnerable, lost and confused – if he was in her position; he would certainly not have been able to say no. As it was he was not able to say no anyway. There was only one solution – they needed to find a way to bring his wife back and they needed to do it now.

"Gramps!"

David nearly bumped into Henry on his way to the stairs and he had to hold out a hand to steady himself against the wall. If it wasn't for the fact that Henry had big news to share, perhaps he would have asked questions about David's presence upstairs – luckily he didn't.

"I know where mom and Snow are."

"What?"

David grabbed onto Henry's shoulders and knelt down to look at him.

"What are you talking about?"

"Well… I dreamed about Snow. Sort of…"

It felt as though a thousand rocks had dropped into David's stomach. Why had he not considered it? He knew the effects of the sleeping curse, he knew… Henry was in the Netherworld. He just knew it. Yet, he decided to ask – hoping against all reason that he was wrong.

"Henry, what do you mean?"

Henry looked guilty for a while.

"Well… I've been having dreams… Usually, I'm alone but tonight… Snow was there and…"

Regina made her way out of her room before he could continue, frowning when she saw Henry awake.

"What's going on?"

Henry was quick to hide his arm, but Regina was quicker and she grabbed his arm, gently turning it around to inspect the ugly burn marks on his wrists.

"Henry… care to tell me what's going on?"

He pulled his arm out of her grip, avoiding her eyes and she turned to David, facing him.

"David?"

David sighed, unwilling to tell her what he knew. Something in her eyes convinced him and he rubbed his neck awkwardly.

"Well… one of the side effects of the sleeping curse… is that you go back sometimes. To the Netherworld… where it sent you and…"

Regina took a step back, horrified. Her eyes were stuck on Henry's wrist and her face was deadly pale. David moved quickly, placing a cool hand on her neck.

"Regina… you didn't know."

"It's my fault."

Her world was spinning and David had to hold on to her to keep her from falling. She could see his lips moving, but not a sound came out. It was Henry's voice that finally registered amidst her swirling thoughts.

"I saw Snow! And she said something about a witch there, something about a woman called Cora… Mom, she said it was your mother."

That was it. The straw that broke the camel's back. She saw Henry's worried face, felt David's supportive hand on her back and then…

Darkness.


	9. Chapter 9

**Thanks for the reviews! I must say, after re-watching Once (did that before the new episodes came out), it occurred to me that for one of the strongest sorceresses in the word, Regina actually really faints/falls a lot. :/ **

**DISCLAIMER: Not mine.**

**Hope you enjoy! I hope this isn't too predictable or over used. Just know that I am going somewhere kind of different with it... **

Chapter 9

Regina awoke to David's blue eyes, staring at her worriedly. She jerked back, confused as to where she was and he smiled sympathetically.

"You fainted."

Regina scoffed and moved to sit up quickly, folding her arms over her chest.

"I did not faint. I never faint."

David bit back a laugh – it was a serious situation and as adorable as she looked with a stubborn pout, they had to focus on the fact that Snow was in danger.

"Well… you did. How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine."

In truth, her head was spinning with thoughts of Snow and Emma, having to face Cora. Despite her concern, she had to admit that a small part of her was enjoying it – perhaps Snow White would finally learn what Cora was truly like. She would see her mistake. Yet, when she looked into David's worried blue eyes, she couldn't leave it. They had to come up with a plan, and she knew it. Regina sighed and ran her fingers through her hair.

"Well… there's only one person who could help us defeat my mother. Rumpelstiltskin."

Had it been any other enemy, Rumpelstiltskin surely would not have helped, yet… he too was not too fond of the idea of Cora coming to Storeybrooke – especially now that he had reconnected with Belle.

"To stop Cora, you'll need to contact Snow White and Emma. Is there any way of doing that?"

David and Regina shared an awkward look. Both of them knew that Henry was able to go into the Netherworld, but neither of them was willing to allow it again. It was David who answered, shocking Regina.

"There might be a way."

Judging by the smirk on Rumpelstiltskin's face, he knew just as well as she did that David was going to do something stupid and heroic.

"David…"

David shook his head, lips pursed.

"Not now, Regina."

She folded her arms and turned to Rumpelstiltskin.

"What do we need to tell them?"

Rumpelstiltskin observed Regina quietly for a while, then nodded curtly. He had no idea what she was planning, but as long as it stopped Cora, he did not really care in the slightest.

"There is an object in my castle… One that will temporarily stop her, but… it won't kill her."

Regina and Rumpelstiltskin stared at each other blankly for a while, in a silent battle of wills.

"What is it?"

"It is a straw doll. It is magically connected to Cora, using her blood as anchor. Hidden in my castle, they will find a bottle of Squid Ink. Once the Squid Ink is poured out over the doll, Cora will be frozen for twenty four hours."

Regina nodded curtly, her face incredibly pale. She left the shop without another word, David following quietly behind. Once they were a good distance away from Gold's stop, Regina turned to David and faced him firmly.

"You're going to try to go to the Netherworld, aren't you?"

"I was thinking… if you could recreate the curse and put me to sleep…"

"No."

"Regina…"

She shook her head, lips pursed.

"David. No. I won't do it."

David smile gently and ran his hand up her arm.

"Regina, it's the only way that makes sense. Neither of us will allow Henry to go back there. Snow will wake me up when she gets back. She's my true love."

For a second, the realization that Regina no longer had a true love hung ominously between them. Then Regina found her voice, speaking hesitantly.

"What if Snow doesn't come back?"

"She will. She'll find me. She'll always find me."

That is how Regina found herself in her kitchen hours later, bristling over an awful smelling potion. Henry and David were at Granny's. It was decided that David would be the one to tell Henry about his moronic idea of going under the curse. She hated the plan – there were simply too many risks! There was a very real chance that Snow wouldn't return and then what? He'd spend eternity under a curse with no way of waking him up! She pulled a face as the smell of the curse hit her and shuddered. She could only assume it wasn't pleasant. Rumpelstiltskin had suggested they use a spinning wheel to prick David's finger, but it was too Maleficent for her taste – she preferred the traditional way. A dangerously red apple was sitting on her counter, waiting for the poison to infect it. She dropped the apple in the liquid bubbling on her stove and stared quietly at the black liquid seeping into the apple slowly. Fatally.

The apple glowed a magnificent black-red when it was ready and Regina picked it up out of the pot carefully.

It happened without her having planned it.

Without even giving it a second thought.

She didn't think it through, she didn't stop to consider anything. It was impulsive, it was stupid, it was moronic, but she couldn't help herself.

Before she had time to realize what happened, she had taken a bite.

To say that Henry was unhappy with David's idea would be an understatement. He despised it – Prince Charming volunteering to go under the sleeping curse? It just wasn't right. He folded his arms and stared at David grumpily.

"What am I supposed to do while you are sleeping, gramps?"

David smiled at his grandson gently and reached over to squeeze his hand.

"You'll be staying with your mom."

"Who's going to make sure Snow and Emma come back? Really come back? What if my mom doesn't want them to come back? What if, when you're gone, she goes back to being the Evil Queen and she decides to leave them there? Then you'll never come back, they'll never come back and I'll be alone!"

"You won't be alone, Henry. You'll have everyone here – Archie, Granny, Red, the dwarves… and your mom. You'll always have your mom."

Henry pursed his lips, suddenly looking a lot like Regina.

"But she agreed to put you under the curse. That's dark magic."

"And she hated the idea of it, Henry. She didn't want to do it, but I made her. She's doing it to get Snow back. Your mom is good, I promise. And no matter what… I will come back."

Henry nodded tiredly and stood, avoiding David's eyes.

"Let's just go."

_What have I done? What have I done? What have I done? It was moronic, it was stupid, it was impulsive._

_Weak. I am weak. _

_Love makes you weak, Regina._

_Henry needs David. I love Henry, if something happened to David he would never forgive me._

_Love makes you weak, Regina. _

_What have I done? What have I done?_

_Why?_

The thoughts were on repeat in Regina's mind, regret running through her incessantly. For a fatal minute, she could think only of Daniel and how she had nothing to live for. Then she had taken the bite of the blasted apple, and could remember nothing other than Henry's smile, his hugs, his love. Her son.

Her throat was constricting, her head was spinning and it felt as though she had no control over her body. The cursed apple was still grasped in her right hand when she sank to the floor, the whole world fading to black as her body hit the floor.


	10. Chapter 10

**Thank you for the reviews! I really appreciate it! I know there are some really fantastic fics where Regina goes under the sleeping curse, so I am going to do my best to be original and look it at from another angle… Hope I succeed!**

**DISCLAIMER: Not mine**

Chapter 10

The house was eerily quiet when David and Henry entered, the dreadful smell of the curse hanging in the air. Henry took the first step inside, taking a step backwards as the smell hit his nose forcefully.

"That's disgusting!"

David shuddered, recoiling from the smell too. It truly was awful, he had no idea how anyone could stand creating such a foul smell. Henry was pinching his nose between his fingers as he glanced around the house. His voice sounded constricted when he spoke.

"It's coming from the kitchen. I guess mom is busy with the curse."

David nodded, trying to breathe his nausea away.

"We should go check up on her."

Henry looked at David glumly.

"Do we have to? I mean… I really don't want to go anywhere near that smell!"

David grinned, covering his nose with his hand too.

"Come on, Sir Henry. We are knights – we can't let a woman handle anything we aren't able to!"

Henry grinned, impressed by the title David had given him.

"Okay, fine! I guess we can do it if she can!"

_Flames_.

So many flames – she was encircled by them, entrapped, caught up in the burning heat. Flames licked at her feet, her arms, her face. Yet there was no smoke and Regina found it odd, despite technically being asleep. She shrugged lightly.

Well. Technicalities, it didn't matter. If she was going to spend the rest of her life caught in the flames, she really wouldn't mind the absence of smoke.

"Regina?"

She would have recognized the shocked voice anywhere and she turned around, a smirk playing around her lips.

"Snow. Good to see you, dear."

Snow's eyes were wide as she approached Regina and she clapped a hand over her mouth, only removing it when she stood closely in front of the older woman.

"Why are you here?"

Regina shrugged lazily.

"I have a message from Rumple."

"I don't understand… how did you get here?"

Regina smirked – the girl really had no common sense at all. How did she get here? She bit the sarcastic answers forming in her mouth back and sighed tiredly.

"Quite clearly, I am under the sleeping curse dear. However, you are not and before you wake up I would like to have given you the message from Rumpelstiltskin."

Snow nodded, still shell-shocked and Regina stared her down before continuing.

"Go to his castle. You'll find a straw doll and some squid ink in an enchanted cupboard. It needs magic to open, Emma will be able to do it. You need to immerse the straw doll in squid ink and it will freeze Cora. Temporarily. Then you need to find a portal and get the hell out of here before she kills you."

Snow nodded quickly, making notes in her head.

Castle, enchanted cupboard, straw doll, squid ink. Got it.  
She looked at Regina hesitantly, afraid to ask the question dancing on her tongue.

"How… Regina, how will you wake up?"

"I won't dear."

Her answer was complacent, calm and Snow shook her head, unable to understand how anyone could be as relaxed about being in a state of eternal sleep.

"I don't understand… Why?"

Regina sighed deeply, unwilling to bare her heart and soul in front of the girl but feeling strangely obligated to do so.

"Daniel is gone. Soon Emma will be back and Henry will have his real mother. I have nothing left to live for. It made sense that it was me who came here."

Snow moved closer and touched Regina's arm, a kind smile on her face as always. Regina couldn't help the pang of guilt she felt as she looked at Snow's friendly face smiling up at her.

"We'll wake you up, Regina. We'll find a way."

She could see the girl starting to fade against her will and in a moment of weakness, she squeezed Snow's hand.

"I'd rather you didn't."

Snow disappeared before she could answer and Regina turned around, away from the spot where Snow had been seconds earlier. It was just her left – her and the flames gnawing at her skin. She supposed she shouldn't have expected it to be pleasant, but the flames were quite an irritation. If she understood Henry correctly, this was the Red Room and it was not the only room in the Netherworld. She just needed to navigate, find all the rooms and stay in the most pleasant one.

Or perhaps the least pleasant one.

After all, misery was exactly what she deserved.

David saw it first – the apple lying on the floor in a macabre sign of impending horror. He moved quickly and his breath hitched in his throat when he saw what he had feared the second he saw the apple. He knelt down next to the still figure, his eyes glued to her face.

"Regina… what have you done?"

"Mom!"

Henry was next to him within seconds and he grabbed onto Regina's hand, his eyes filled with tears.

"Gramps, what's going on? What's wrong with her?"

David reached for the poisoned fruit and held it up in the air. His voice was grim, his face pale.

"She didn't want me to go under the curse. So she did it herself."

"But…"

Henry's eyes were wide with shock and he shook his head.

"She doesn't have a true love! She'll never wake up!"

David looked up at the boy from where he was sitting next to Regina. Henry's eyes were filled with terror and David had to hide his own dread from the boy. He moved quickly, lifting Regina into his arms easily. Her body was ice cold and he shuddered.

"We'll wake her up, Henry. We'll find a way somehow. Let's take her to Gold. He'll know what to do."

Henry's eyes couldn't leave his mother's body in David's arms.

Sure, she was the Evil Queen… but she was still his mom.

"What if he doesn't know what to do?"

David shook his head tiredly.

"I don't know, Henry. But right now, he's our best shot."

The bell to Gold's shop rang when David burst through the door and the sharp voice followed immediately.

"We're closed, dearie. I'm afraid you'll…"

Rumpelstiltskin broke off mid-sentence when he took in the picture in the doorway of his shop – Henry leaned against the wall, tearful and afraid and in the door stood the one and only Prince Charming. With a dead still Queen in his arms.

Over the years he had been unfortunate enough to know Rumpelstiltskin, David had never seen an emotion – other than glee – from the man. In a minute, the man went through more emotions than David ever thought he had.

Shock.

Denial.

Anger.

Fear.

Terror.

Despair.

He moved quickly, taking her out of David's arms wordlessly. David gestured, trying to stop Rumpelstiltskin from taking her, but it was a fruitless attempt. Rumple started walking to the back of his shop without a word. Henry and David shared a worried look before following him, watching as he carefully lay Regina down on a cot that had appeared with a wave of his hand. Unaware of David and Henry behind him, Rumple was bent over the still figure of his apprentice, mumbling softly.

"Oh, dearie… what have you done?"

He stroked over her hair like a father would, more caring than David had ever seen him with anyone other than Belle.

"Was your life really that awful? Is this really what I have done to you?"

David took a large stride forward and his eyes blazed into Rumple's.

"What do you mean? You did this to her?"

Rumpelstiltskin looked strangely sad as he glanced at David before returning his attention to Regina.

"Indirectly, perhaps dearie. The Queen wasn't always evil. She never wanted to be, but I needed her to be dark."

"So you ruined her life."

It wasn't a question, but Rumpelstiltskin nodded anyway.

"We had a complicated relationship… but I care about her. She's the closest thing to a daughter I have ever had."

David's lips were a thin, white line as he glared at Rumpelstiltskin. He had seen glimpses of who Regina used to be and finally knew what had happened to turn her into the evil force that she had become – it was all a game, orchestrated by the man in front of him. The man who now claimed to care for Regina as a father would.

"A daughter? You saw her as a daughter and you ruined her life? God forbid you'd ever have a child whose life you could ruin as you did hers!"

"Get out."

Rumple's words were clipped and angry and Daniel took a step forward, reaching to pick Regina up again.

"Fine. If you won't help, I'll find a way."

"Leave her."

David's eyes flashed shock and Rumple moved to shield Regina's body with his own. The two men stared at each other stubbornly and Rumple leaned forward on his cane.

"Leave her here. Get out."

"I won't leave her with you!"

Rumple took a step towards David, and despite the Dark One's shorter stature, the prince could not help but feel slightly threatened. Rumple's voice was low and venomous.

"Yes, dearie. You will. Because if there is any way of waking Regina up, I'll be the one to find it. You are useless here and you know it. Now I suggest you leave – before I force you out of here."

David left, stopping at the door to look at Regina's still form worriedly. When his eyes moved up to meet Rumple's, his expression turned contemptuous and he leaved wordlessly. Rumple watched him intently and sat down next to Regina's bed again, his eyes fixed on her pale face. He knew just as well as anyone that there was only one cure for this state – true love's kiss. And since Regina's true love was dead, there was no doubt about it – she'd be in this state forever. The only thing he could do was try to make sure that the Netherworld did not hurt her too much.


	11. Chapter 11

**Yeah, so… I didn't want to post this now. But I couldn't sleep and I thought what the hell… it's written already, so why not. I am quite curious to hear what you think about this chapter, so please don't be shy to review! **

**On that note, thank you to everyone who reviewed the previous chapter. I am glad that Rumple and Regina's scene was well received. I do think they care about each other in some twisted way.**

**DISCLAIMER: Not mine.**

Chapter 11

She was exploring the Netherworld. If it wasn't so pathetically sad, it might have been funny – the Evil Queen walking around the Netherworld, curiously inspecting each of the countless rooms. She let out a yelp when the floor crumbled beneath her feet and groaned when she hit the hard floor, a bump forming on her head almost instantly. Her heart stopped when she saw the dark figure in the distance. Despite the ominous darkness, she could recognize him quite easily and she jumped to her feet with a racing heart.

"Daniel…"

She rushed forward, slightly fearing that she will pass right through him. She didn't and sighed contentedly when she felt his arms around her. Tears formed in her eyes and she reached up to kiss him desperately. The Netherworld turned into heaven when he kissed her back gently, caressing her lips with his own as though she was the most precious being in the world. Regina pulled back slightly, unaware of the tears streaming over her face. This was not possible. It couldn't be – the Netherworld was supposed to be horrible, to be your worst nightmares and regrets! How could Daniel be here?

"How is this possible? Is it even real?"

Daniel cupped her face with his hand, his eyes shining with pure love.

"It's real for you, my love. That's all that matters."

She crawled into his arms, basking in the feel of his body against hers.

"I missed you so much."

"I know."

Their lips met again tenderly, conveying the love of decades lost. Her heaven ended when he stepped back with a pained groan and confusion shadowed her eyes.

"Daniel?"

He gasped for breath, clutching at his chest and Regina stared helplessly as an invisible force pulled his heart from his chest – crushing it to dust.

"Daniel!"

She stormed forward with a hysterical cry, grabbing onto his lifeless body desperately. Anguished sobs tore through her as she pressed desperate kisses to his lips, hoping beyond hope that he would wake up and be with her again. He didn't move and Regina half-carried half-dragged him to a wall, falling down against it before cradling his head on her lap. Even in death he was perfect and she leaned forward, her tears dripping on his pale face.

"I need you, Daniel. Please… please come back. Daniel…"

Regina had no idea how long she had wept over his still body in her arms. It could have been minutes, it could have been days. It didn't matter.

Nothing mattered.

David had been sitting next to Regina's bed for no less than an hour every day since she had fell victim to her own curse. He wasn't sure victim was the right word – it was her choice, wasn't it? Her incredibly stubborn, heroic, stupid choice. He leaned forward tiredly, resting his forehead against his fists. His hand travelled down to hers and he entwined his fingers with hers. Her body was frighteningly cold and he couldn't help but remember how warm Snow's body was when he found her under the same curse. He could only assume that the curse had a different effect on everyone who succumbed to it.

She looked like she was already dead and he sighed deeply.

"Come on, Regina… you are the one person in the world who will be able to find a way to get through this. You'll find a loophole somewhere. You have to."

He pressed his lips against her cold hand and closed his eyes.

"We need you, you know. All of us. Henry… Rumpelstiltskin. Me… I never thought I'd say this, but I miss you. I miss my friend."

A part of him wondered if she could hear him. He leaned back in the chair, his teeth biting down on his lower lip hard enough to form drops of blood.

This was his fault.

The sleeping curse was his idea, if he never mentioned it, she would never have done this to herself in an attempt to save him.

"Gramps?"

Henry's fragile voice in the door let David look up and for a second utter hopelessness was visible in both their eyes. Henry moved forward hesitantly, his eyes red with tears.

"I was thinking… When I was under the curse Emma woke me up with true love's kiss. Don't you think that I will be able to wake mom up?"

For the first time, a glimmer of positivity took hold of David and he nodded.

"Yes… It might."

Rumple appeared out of nowhere, his eyes fixed on the other two. Henry looked at him hopefully and he shrugged.

"There's only one way to find out, dearie."

Henry leapt forward, pressing his lips against Regina's cheek hopefully. He took a step back, eyes wide with shock when there was no rush of magic, no warm air… no change.

"I don't… I don't understand! I love my mom… does this mean she doesn't love me?"

David shook his head at once.

"No. Henry, if there is one thing I know for sure it is that your mom loves you."

The boy's eyes filled with tears and he took another step back.

"So why didn't it work? Why didn't she wake up?"

It was Rumple who answered, his voice tired and miserable.

"It didn't work, dearie… Because she doesn't believe that you love her."

It felt like forever before Regina found the strength to stand up and leave the room, forcing herself to keep walking without looking back at Daniel's body. She opened door after door hopelessly, biting back tears and regret. A frown appeared on her forehead when she opened a rusty, aged door to find a majestic apple tree in the middle of what looked like her Storybrooke garden. Regina approached the door carefully, reaching out to touch the tree, wondering in which creative way this room would torture her. She was answered soon enough, when she felt herself being pushed against the tree roughly.

Regina's eyes widened when she looked into the blue eyes of the last person she expected to see.

"David…"

It was him, yet it wasn't. The usually kind blue eyes were filled with contempt and hatred and Regina recoiled from him, fear settling in her heart. David's face was frighteningly close to her and his tone was more vicious than she had ever heard.

"You took everything. You took my wife, you took my daughter… You don't deserve to live."

"David, please…"

He laughed harshly and his hand moved to her neck.

"I've let so many chances pass by. I should have killed you a long time ago. Now nothing is stopping me."

Her nails scratched at his hands as they closed around her throat, cutting off her air supply. Spots were dancing in front of her eyes, the world was spinning and her only constant was the blue of David's eyes burning through her.

"Please…"

Her voice came out in a whisper and he laughed.

"Do you think begging is going to help? What do you have to live for anyway, Regina? No one cares if you die. We'll rejoice once you are gone."

Somehow she managed to push him away from her and she fell forward, gasping for air. He was still standing much too close, glaring at her and her heart stopped when she saw the figure behind him.

"Hen… Henry…"

David smirked as the boy approached them and Regina's eyes widened when she notice the strange scowl on Henry's face.

"I don't need you. I don't want you in my life!"

She managed to sit, hands rubbing her raw throat.

"Henry… please. You're my son, I… I love you."

He laughed – a cold, foreign sound – and glared at her as he stood next to David.

"You don't know how to love. You're not my mom. You're just a villain."

"Henry, please…"

She lifted her hands in an attempt to reach out to him, surprized by the balls of fire forming in her palms. Before she could stop it, the fire left her hands, hitting David and Henry square in the chest.

"No!"

A raw scream left her throat when she saw her son disappearing in a smoke, his eyes glazed over.

"No, Henry!"

Anguished screams left her lips and she ran forward, falling down on the spot where Henry had been. Something seemingly like sand stuck to her cheek as she lay her head on the ground, allowing her tears to fall without end.

Regina's hand touched the sand gently and she took a shuddering breath.

Henry.

He was gone.

Making the trip to Rumpelstiltskin's castle was surprisingly easy for Snow and Emma – no doubt due to the help of Mulan. It was Emma who cast the spells on the doll, successfully freezing Cora in her tracks. They had just opened up the portal when tragedy struck. It was the cackling sound behind them that warned them – they were too late. Cora was unfrozen and she was directly behind them.

Snow grabbed Emma's hands, both women watching terrified as Cora approached them. Snow let out a terrified yell as the woman's hand disappeared into Emma's chest, trying to move forward. Cora, however, had frozen her on the spot.

"Emma… No, don't hurt her!"

All three women were stunned when Cora was unable to pull her hand out of Emma's chest – until she let go of her heart. Within a second, she had turned to Snow and this time the anguished scream came from Emma, as she watched helplessly how her mother's heart was torn from her chest.

Snow fell to her knees, breathing heavily – her eyes closed in a mixture of fear and pain. She managed to look at Emma, spitting out words slowly.

"Emma… go through the portal."

"Mary Margaret…"

"Go… and tell Charming I love him."

Tears formed in Emma's eyes as she watched Snow's writhing figure on the ground helplessly. A shield had formed around Cora and as much as Emma tried, she couldn't get near the woman. Snow let out a scream when Cora squeezed harder and Emma rushed to her side, tears streaming over her face. She grabbed Snow's hand in hers and squeezed it tightly.

"Mom…"

Her voice was tearful and Snow shot Cora a look before she smiled at her daughter hesitantly.

"I love you…"

Cora watched the two with mild interest and then rolled her eyes at what she saw as an unnatural mother-daughter relationship. She lifted her chin with a wicked smile.

"Oh enough of this!"

Emma's screams tore through the air as she watched helplessly while her mother's heart was crushed to dust. Without a second thought, she grabbed onto Snow's body and jumped through the portal, her chest still heaving with sobs.


	12. Chapter 12

**Thank you for all the reviews! They are much appreciated! Yep… so I killed Snow. Sorry about that, fans of Snow. I actually love her on the show, but like I said – I am trying something a little different here (which is also why both David and Henry kissed Regina and she's still asleep… don't know if you caught that…). **

**So here's the next chapter! **

**DISCLAIMER: Not mine.**

Chapter 12

Snow was dead.

His beautiful, brave wife… his true love was dead. Never in his life, had David felt so empty. He had been waiting by the well for their return, he had been the one who witnessed Emma pulling Snow's still body up with her. Emma was able to relay a few facts to him and Rumpelstiltskin, who was somehow present every time something significant happened. He was sure the imp had some sort of radar that shouted 'excitement' in his ear where there was turmoil or drama. Apparently Cora's name struck a chord and upon hearing that it was her who had killed Snow, Rumple left without another word – leaving no apologies or condolences.

David had no idea how much time had passed. He was unable to move from where he sat with his back against a tree, cradling Snow's limp body in his arms. Emma was lying on the ground next to him, staring out in front of her unseeingly. They were a broken family now and although he supposed he should have had the strength to comfort his daughter, he simply did not. He had only just gotten Snow back after twenty eight years and he lost her within a day. To make matters worse, he spent the time that she was lost lusting after her arch enemy, who had become his friend – a friend he had lost now too. He had lost almost everything that had mattered and he threw his head back against the tree, wallowing in his own self-pity.

The sound of celebrating voices coming nearer broke his heart – it was no doubt the dwarves, coming forth under the impression that Emma and Snow were safely back. Grumpy saw them first, and let out something akin to a laugh.

"The princesses are back! Let's…"

He froze when he saw David's face, the other dwarves coming to a halt behind him. David looked up at the dwarves tiredly, his eyes void of all hope.

"She's dead. Snow… she's dead."

Emma let out an anguished cry at his words and within seconds the dwarves were next to her, lifting her up gently. It was Grumpy who moved towards David and gently touched Snow's face. Anger flashed in his eyes and he took a step back.

"Then she's finally got what she's always wanted. She's finally won."

David frowned at Grumpy's words, unsure of what he meant.

"I don't understand… how is this winning?"

His voice was hoarse form the tears he had shed and Grumpy shook his head as he looked at David grimly.

"The Evil Queen. This is what she wanted – Snow dead. Well, she's finally achieved it. I bet she's happy now!"

The dwarf was seething and it suddenly struck David that he didn't even realize that Regina had been under the sleeping curse for days now. They didn't notice that she was gone. David wiped tears off his cheeks and stood, lifting Snow up with him.

"It wasn't her."

Grumpy opened his mouth to argue, but David shook his head firmly.

"It was not Regina."

"Your highness, with all due respect…"

Irritation bristled within David and through his heartache, he could suddenly understand why Regina was so hesitant to change – she'd never be given a fair chance.

"It wasn't her, Grumpy. She's… she is under the sleeping curse. It couldn't have been her. She had nothing to gain from it."

He ignored the shocked mutters from the dwarves and started walking in the direction of the town slowly.

While the entire town mourned the death of their beloved princess, Rumpelstiltskin had other things to be worried about. One other thing to be worried about.

Cora.

It was not the fact that she had managed to kill Snow White that bothered him – it was the fact that she had been strong enough to break the binding curse that should have lasted long enough for Snow and Emma to return and attend the celebration party that would have been thrown in their honour. If Cora was strong enough to do that, there was nothing that prevented her from coming to Storybrooke and with Regina out of action he was the only one who could stop her.

He knew just how, and that was why he was seated at Regina's bedside again, holding a cold hand between his and talking to her in hushed tones.

"Snow White is dead, dearie… Your mother killed her. Twisted irony there, don't you think?"

Rumple sighed and closed his eyes, leaning back in the chair. He was aware of Belle hovering in the doorway – she was always there and he appreciated it to no end. Her presence was what gave him the courage to continue.

"You know what I have to do, dearie… I'm sorry. But it's the only way."

He stood quickly and turned to face Belle, who was looking at him with a worried expression.

"What is it, Rumple? What is it that you need to do?"

Rumple sighed and kissed her on her forehead. He had to do it – if not for himself, then for Belle. She was his weakness and he could not let Cora get to her.

"Stay here with Regina. I'll be back soon."

"Rumple…"

He shook his head with a small smile.

"Belle… I need you to stay with Regina. Snow White is dead and the town is going to be out for blood – her blood. It doesn't matter that she was under the curse, they'll still blame her. She can't be left alone."

Perhaps it was strange that Belle would be willing to protect the woman who had kept her locked up for the better of three decades, but she couldn't find it in her heart to leave Regina vulnerable to an angry crowd – especially if they were angry for something that wasn't her fault. She nodded and pulled Rumple in for a quick kiss.

"Hurry back. And be safe."

He nodded and touched her cheek gently before he disappeared out of his shop and after casting a quick protection spell around it he left for Regina's vault. It did not take him too long to find what he had been looking for and he let out a breath of relief when he finally held it in his hands.

Cora's heart.

It was not without a sliver of hesitation that he started squeezing slowly.

Slowly.

Slowly.

Until there was only dust left.

He mumbled a soft apology – unaware of whether it was meant for Cora or Regina – before leaving the vault once again.

He did not look back once.

To his surprize, Belle was not alone with Regina when he re-entered his shop. Despite the comforting fact that his protection spells were still in place, the charming prince sat next to the queen again. He would have been furious, had it not been for Henry – asleep in the corner of the room. He quite liked the boy, who reminded him of Baelfire in a way. He cast a distasteful look in the prince's direction before looking back at Belle.

"Why is he here?"

Belle shrugged hesitantly.

"You cast a protection spell – I felt it. And no one else was able to enter, but he was. So I assumed it was safe for him to be here."

David looked up at Rumple with red rimmed eyes.

"You cast a spell?"

Rumpelstiltskin nodded and sat down far away from the prince, still not entirely happy with his presence.

"Yes. I cast a spell so that anyone who wishes to harm the queen cannot enter my shop. They blame her, you know."

David nodded and took Regina's hand in his.

"I know. It's not her fault though – I should know. She had nothing to do with this."

A playful giggle escaped Rumple's lips and Belle just rolled her eyes at the insanity peeking through his layers. She moved forward to rest a hand on his shoulder and where David sat, he noticed how Rumple subtly leaned in to her touch. He smiled sadly.

Even Rumpelstiltskin managed to find true love.

He watched as the princess whispered something to Rumple before leaving the room and he sighed, turning away from Rumple to face Regina once more. David addressed Rumple without looking at him.

"You love her, don't you?"

"I do. She's my… second chance at happiness. She's my everything."

David sighed and bit back the tears that threatened to spill again.

"A second chance… Does that even exist? I mean, I just lost Snow and I don't think I'll ever be happy again, I don't think I'll ever love again."

Rumpelstiltskin just lifted a brow, but decided not to comment on Charming's musings.

"Why are you here, your highness?"

David shrugged lightly.

"Out there… everyone keeps trying to tell me how sorry they are for my loss, and whenever I start that conversation I end up being the one who comforts them. Those people… I care about them, I respect them, but they are Snow's friends not mine. They only know me because of Snow, without her I am nothing. Regina is my friend – just mine, you know? She's the only one who really knows who I am without Snow by my side… I just needed to talk to her."

Rumpelstiltskin nodded and David leaned his head back with a deep sigh. For some reason, he suddenly managed to open up to Rumpelstiltskin – perhaps it was because the man did not express sympathies and condolences.

"Snow's never coming back. Regina's not coming back. Emma is a wreck and I have no idea how to help her. I just want to fall down and cry, but I can't because I need to carry this town. I just… I just wish I'm the one who went under this damn sleeping curse!"


	13. Chapter 13

**So… the next chapter. The M-rating will be applicable in this chapter and I want to thank and acknowledge the AWESOME _letgolaughing, _who is an immensely talented writer (seriously, check out her stuff if you haven't), who helped me with this chapter by writing the smut. You are AMAZING.**

** Thanks for all the lovely reviews and support – it truly warms my heart. **

**DISCLAIMER: Not mine.**

Chapter 13

One had to wonder if a part of Regina was aware of what was going on around her – and perhaps a tiny part of her was. She could feel a presence with her all the time – sometimes it was Rumpelstiltskin, other times Henry or David. She was vaguely aware of a strange presence too, but could not place it – nor did she truly care, for she feared that it was all her imagination. She suspected that she had made her way through the entire Netherworld and was now back at the first room she was in – the room where she had relived Daniel's life and death. Regina was still hesitant to enter this particular room – she did not want to see the place where Daniel had fallen, she did not want to see his body again and yet… she could not help herself. She had to go in.

His body was not where she had left it – that was the first thing she noticed and she spun round wildly, her heart bursting out of her chest. Someone must have taken him, someone had him and… what fresh hell was this?

"Regina?"

No.

No, no, no, no, no. It wasn't possible and yet… when she turned around, the familiar blue eyes were bursting with light and life. Regina gasped and leapt forward, right into his arms.

"Daniel! How are you… you died! I saw you, I held you… you were dead!"

His arms wrapped around her waist and he rested his chin on her head, holding her closely.

"Don't think about it, Gina. I'm here now."

The logical part of her knew that this was much too good to be true – she knew that she was setting herself up for more heartbreak if she allowed herself to believe that it was remotely possible that she could have some semblance of happiness here, but her treacherous heart refused to succumb to her logical mind and she allowed Daniel to hold her.

"I love you, Regina. I love you so much."

Their lips met in a passionate kiss – unlike the gentle one they had shared the previous time, this kiss was frantic, rough, hungry and she allowed herself to be swept away by it completely. Regina groaned when Daniel moved his head down, his tongue drawing a trail down her neck and she wrapped her legs around him when he lifted her off the ground. She wanted this – she needed this.

She let her head loll back with a long moan as she raked her fingers through his hair and his teeth scraped down her throat. His breath was hot against her skin and she brought her head level again and pushed her head against his as he made his way down her chest and began pulling at her shirt. So she did the same.

She clawed at the back of his shirt and pulled it over his head, tightening her legs around his waist when he removed his hands from her to rid himself of his shirt. The instant it was tossed to the side Regina gripped his head between her hands and kissed him hard. There was no hesitation to deepen the kiss and as his mouth eagerly opened beneath hers his fingers were quickly unbuttoning her shirt and pulling it roughly from her shoulders.

They breathed one another's air as Regina put her arms behind her to aid him in removing her shirt and it was quickly followed by her bra. She turned her face in to the side of his head and creased her expression in pleasure with a breathy whimper as he nipped and kissed the tender skin of her breasts. His grip tightened around her ribcage as he jerked her closer and her nails scratched down his back before she pushed against his chest to give herself enough room to work at his pants so she could get at the hard length pressing against her hot core.

He didn't miss a beat and his mouth was latched on to her neck beneath her jaw, his hot tongue causing shivers to run up and down her spine. His groan when she took hold of his length vibrated against her neck and had her hissing through her teeth as she dropped and turned her head in search of his mouth.

Once more she found herself lost in a frantic kiss. His hands gripped her hair and pulled her in to him, giving her no means of escape as she pumped her hand around him. His kiss grew rougher as she continued and suddenly her wrist was caught in his hand and she let go of his length as he pulled her arm up and dropped down to his knees and proceeded to lay her on her back.

He kissed his way down her neck and her chest and she ran her fingers through his hair as he continued lower. Her chest and stomach rose and fell in sharp movements but she did not try to steady her breathing and simply smiled and pulled her bottom lip between her teeth as she rocked her hips upward when his fingers worked open the clasp holding her black trousers closed. Her playful smile turned in to gritted teeth and a groan as she pushed her head back in to the floor and closed her eyes and he left irreverent kisses down the inside of her thigh as he pulled down both panties and trousers at the same time.

Slowly she became aware of the change in Daniel's touch. It was no softer and no rougher but his hands were different. And his mouth was suddenly different as well. She didn't think too much on it until he crawled back over her and the arms she ran her hands up were much bigger than Daniel's.

Confused, she opened her eyes and found David on top of her. She panicked of course. Who wouldn't? She went tense and the air was knocked from her lungs and she couldn't seem to get it back. Her heart raced faster and her wide eyes flicked over his hungry expression as he lowered his head down. She accepted his hard kiss but she didn't kiss him back. In her heat with Daniel she had forgotten where she was. Sleeping with her dear stableboy had never been a regret.

Not sleeping with David most certainly had been. She would just never admit it.

Reluctantly she relaxed beneath him and opened her mouth to him and kissed him back. It didn't take hardly any time at all before she was kissing him for all he was worth and revelling in the passion he made her feel. When she tried to sit up he slammed her back down and she groaned against him and took hold of his hair instead and pulled him down to her.

He pushed her head back in to the ground hard with his kiss and when he pulled away it was only to kiss her elsewhere. His larger hands kneaded her breasts as his teeth bit down on her collarbone causing her to let out a moan and a whimper as she arched her back off the ground and in to him. Lower and lower he moved and she laid in anticipation until his tongue flicked out over her clit.

She let out a sharp gasp and then a long moan when his mouth closed around her in a heavy kiss. She rocked her hips in to his moving mouth and his hands held her waist in a firm grip. She moaned as she dragged her hands up her body, her nails clawing in to her stomach and over her breasts as he continued relentlessly between her legs. His fingers dug in to her sides as he opened his mouth against her, moving his tongue quickly before he closed his mouth again and sucked.

She moaned through her teeth and fought between pushing herself closer and pulling away, caught in the sweet torture of wanting him to finish her off and wanting to let it last. Another moan left her lungs as she ran her fingers through his hair with one hand and pushed the other over her breast. When he lifted his head she whimpered in protest and tried to catch her breath after being so close to an orgasm but he hushed her softly with a hungry grin before he crashed his mouth to hers in a searing kiss.

She felt the tip of him tease her entrance she she shivered in excitement as her hands tried to pull him down closer. When he slowly pushed himself in she gave a long moan against his mouth as her fingers clenched and unclenched around his hair. They found a rhythm quickly and easily and her small whimpers and moans grew louder and longer as the pressure grew inside of her. It was fast and it was hard and she loved every bit of it.

She loved his weight on top of her, she loved his breath panting against her neck between kisses, she loved his heavy hands roaming her body, and she loved roaming his. Strong and chiselled and warm. "David," she cried out and followed the name with a series of erotic vocals as her nails left red lines down his shoulders and back.

His breaths were growing heavier with hers and his steady rhythm was beginning to falter as she writhed beneath him in pleasure. She never wanted to leave this room if this is what she got inside of it.

Perfectly long minutes passed and he brought one hand up and buried it deep in to her hair and pushed his forehead against hers and breathed the air from her lungs. She cursed under her breath and a few thrusts later she was pushing her head back and screaming out her orgasm between strangled gasps for air and rocking her hips in to his. His grip became tighter in her hair, almost painful as he groaned and swore through his orgasm but continued moving until they were both well finished.

Regina cuddled against his sweat-covered chest and entwined her fingers with his. Before she could say something, she noticed the tall figure in the corner of the room and the betrayed eyes tore through her painfully. Regina jumped up as the figure started moving backwards, with outstretched hands in a pleading gesture.

"Daniel... Daniel, wait!"


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: I took a while with this one – sorry about that! But here it is now… I hope you enjoy! Thank you for all the reading, reviews, follows etc. – and please tell me what you think!**

**DISCLAIMER: Not mine.**

Chapter 14

David awoke with a jerk, his breath racing. It was a dream… just a dream and yet he felt inexplicably guilty and aroused at the same time. He could still vividly taste her, he could feel her body trembling beneath hers and then… she just ran from him, calling for another man. Daniel.

He stood and wiped his hands over his face. In that second everything came tumbling down on him once again:

Snow was gone forever – she had died for their daughter!

Emma was miserable and barely able to stand on her own and he had no way of comforting her.

Henry was distraught – it was as though he had lost both of his mothers and Regina… Regina was still under the sleeping curse and there was doubt that she would ever wake from it. Rumple had started hinting that it would be merciful to kill her as no one deserved to be stuck in the Netherworld, but David and Henry blatantly refused. They'd find a way to wake her.

It struck David as odd how he seemed to be more worried about Regina than Snow at this point and yet… a part of him could understand why. He had spent a lot of time with Regina as his only ally and despite himself, he could not help but notice her obvious beauty and sex appeal. He would go so far as to say he had a crush on her. Yet… even if she wasn't under the sleeping curse that made any chances of pursuing her impossible, his wife had just died. Yes, they had spent twenty eight years apart and perhaps their marriage wasn't exactly top notch when the curse struck, but still… she was his wife and he loved her. She was his true love. David stood slowly and reached for his clothes. Dressing was mechanical – it was as though he was on auto pilot. He knew for a fact that he had to find Emma and talk to her – he had waited too long already. It was time to be a father.

For Henry, life had gone from good – growing up with Regina as the only mother he knew, the kind and loving mom who would do anything for him – to bad when he found out about the curse. It went back to good when he found Emma and now it was worse than it had ever been before.

Snow White was dead.

Emma was a wreck – she could hardly speak, she barely even looked at him.

Prince Charming was quiet, reserved and barely noticed anything or anyone around him and his mom…

Well, his mom who had been the only constant he had known throughout his life was under a sleeping curse and could not wake up – even true love's kiss didn't work because she didn't believe in that love.

Life sucked – there was no other way of describing it. For the first time in his life, he was all alone. Sure, Ruby and Granny were there and they tried – but Ruby had just lost her best friend and Granny was worried about her. They couldn't truly devote themselves to making sure that Henry was all right and he did not blame them.

"You here again, dearie? Shouldn't you be at school?"

Henry looked up at the sound of Rumpelstiltskin's voice and shrugged, his eyes downcast.

"I don't have a teacher anymore. And I don't want to be at school. I want to be with my mom."

Rumple moved to sit next to Henry and for a while, both of them just sat staring at Regina's still form.

"Why doesn't she believe that I love her, Mr Gold?"

Still uncomfortable with his true identity, Henry preferred Rumple's Storybrooke identity. Rumple pursed his lips and his eyes moved from Regina to Henry.

"I think she finds it hard to believe that anyone could love her, dearie. I believe that the second she doubts it, it is easier to convince herself that it never truly existed."

"I do love her though."

Rumple smiled gently.

"I'm not the one you need to convince, dearie."

Tears welled up in Henry's eyes and he shook his head miserably.

"She's asleep. How am I going to convince her that I love her if she doesn't wake up?"

Rumpelstiltskin smiled gently – he knew that Regina would murder him if he gave Henry the advice that he was about to, but he quite missed the queen. It was rather boring to have no one around to challenge and he had to admit, he was rather interested in seeing her reaction upon finding out that Snow White was dead.

"Well, dearie… you know where to find her."

To say that Emma wasn't excited to find David on her doorstep, would be an understatement. Here was the man who was supposedly her father and she held nothing but disdain for him – for the way he had treated Mary Margaret before the curse was broken, for the way he had ignored her after her return and Mary Margaret's death… she did not want to play happy families – she had lost all chances of that when they sent her through a blasted wardrobe.

"What do you want?"

David was taken aback by her hostility, but took his time to observe her. Her hair was unwashed, her face unusually pale and her eyes seemed dead – empty.

"Emma, I want to talk to you. You… you're my daughter."

"That's the thing, David. I'm not. It's too late to be a father to me. Mary Margaret… she was my friend, but you… we have nothing in common and I have no desire to get to know you."

"You don't mean that! You can't… Emma, you are all I have left. I lost Snow, I lost R… everything. I lost everything."

Tears formed in Emma's eyes, but she bit them back stubbornly. She still refused to believe that her mother was a fairytale princess who died right in front of her and her father was Prince Charming – not to mention the Evil Queen and Rumpelstiltskin. It was just too odd and she found herself longing for her lonely life in New York. Yet, she could recognize the pain in David's eyes and against her will she felt sympathy stirring in her.

"Look, I just… I need some time. Mary Margaret died right in front of me. She… she sacrificed herself for me and that's something that I can barely deal with as it is. Add to that the fact that she was my mother and a princess… I need time. And probably a lot of alcohol."

David nodded slowly – he understood. He didn't like it, but he understood.

"Do you want to come in?"

He nodded and entered the house carefully. Emma did not hesitate before reaching for the bottle of Scotch and held it out to him.

"Look, I know you're supposed to be my dad and whatever… but I am about to get really drunk. You wanna join me?"

He hesitated. Surely it was vastly inappropriate, but at that point he did not care. He needed something – anything – to numb the pain. It was a start.

Daniel was gone and David had disappeared too. Once again, Regina was all alone with only her thoughts to keep her company. She had betrayed Daniel in the worst way possible and the pain in his eyes wasn't something she would ever forget.

"I'm sorry, Daniel…"

A sound behind her caught her attention and she turned, her entire body freezing when she noticed her son, shielding himself from the flames.

"Henry…"

Regina closed her eyes and shook her head, her breath racing. This wasn't real, it couldn't be real, he wasn't here. It was just another form of torture, he would disappear or hate her or…

"Mom! Mom, look at me."

Or call her mom. She opened her eyes just as his body flew towards hers, crashing into her stomach in a violent hug.

"Mom! Are you okay?"

"Henry? You're really here?"

Regina hated how vulnerable her voice sounded, but she could not help it. Henry nodded, wiping stray tears from his eyes.

"Mr Gold gave me the idea… he said that I knew where to find you and I just had to come. I had to see you."

Regina shook her head desperately, her eyes laced with fear.

"Henry, no… you can't be here. It's dangerous, I can't let you get hurt…"

Henry grabbed onto her hands firmly, his eyes pleading with her.

"No, you need to listen to me. I need you, mom… Snow is dead, Emma is a wreck, Gramps isn't really here and the only person I talk to – ever – is Mr. Gold. I need you to come back."

Regina sunk to her knees and wrapped her arms around him, wishing with her entire being that there was a way to abide his request.

"Henry… I can't. You know that."

"But you can mom… you see, you have someone who truly loves you. Someone who can wake you up."

She looked at him, confused, and hurt flashed in his eyes. Apparently Mr. Gold was right – his mother did not believe that he really loved her.

"Me, mom! I love you. And I know you love me… It has to work. Please… please believe it."

Regina nodded dazedly, her eyes still wide.

"I believe you."

A smile formed on Henry's lips and he hugged her again.

"I'll wake you, mom. I love you!"

Tears formed in Regina's eyes when he faded away and she sunk to her knees, trying to control her desperate sobs. It was just too much to take in, a part of her still couldn't believe that it had truly happened. A strange sensation suddenly alerted her to the fact that it had to be true, it had to be real. It was as though a thousand hands were pulling at her, dragging her away from the flames while a whisper of wind travelled over her cheek gently.

Henry.

His grateful face was the first thing she saw when she opened her eyes with a sharp breath and he moved forward, hugging her happily.

"I knew it. I knew you could come back."

"Henry… You did it… you woke me up."

Her voice was raspy and soft, and Henry nodded through his tears.

"I love you, mom! Welcome back."

Regina smiled. He was the only one present – there was no sign of Gold or David, but right now she didn't care. She had everything she needed with her.

"I love you too."


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: Smut-warning in this chapter! Thanks again to the awesomely talented letgolaughing for writing the second half of this chapter. If you haven't yet people – check out her fics, she is simply amazing!**

**Thanks for all the reviews – they are much appreciated.**

**DISCLAIMER: Not mine.**

Chapter 15

He knew the second she awoke – despite his intoxicated state, David just knew that something big had happened. He moved to his feet on wobbly knees, nearly falling over. Emma was a blurry mess – as was the rest of the apartment – but he tried to focus on her.

"I need… to go."

He slurred the words and Emma narrowed her eyes in an attempt to see only one of him.

"What? Why?"

David shot out a hand to steady himself.

"I don't know. I just do."

Emma attempted to stand up, but fell back onto the couch with a giggle.

"You can't drive. I'd have to arrest you."

He shook his head with his own – embarrassingly feminine – giggle.

"No… I'll walk, don't worry. I want to see Gold."

She relented and closed her eyes, settling in on the couch.

"Cool. I want to sleep now."

The small sober part of David watched sadly as his daughter closed her eyes and he sighed before turning around and making his way out into the cold streets. The wind nearly caused him to lose his balance – although it could have been the alcohol – and he closed his eyes, wishing that the world would stop spinning. Before he knew it, he was at Gold's shop and he hit against the door furiously.

"Gold! Open up! Gold!"

He nearly fell over when the door swung open, finding a very annoyed Belle staring back at him.

"The door was unlocked, you know."

He grabbed her shoulder to steady himself and tried to open his eyes as wide as humanly possible.

"I want to talk to Regina."

Belle folded her arms after shrugging his hand off her shoulder.

"She's not here."

"Whaddayamean?"

Belle huffed at his drunken state.

"I mean… that she's awake and probably at her home."

Her words almost shocked him to sobriety and he stared at her, wide-eyed.

"How is that possible?"

Belle smiled with a small shrug.

"Henry. He…"

The rest of her sentence was left unsaid – before she could continue, he had run away in the direction of the mayor's house.

Henry had just gone to bed when the frantic knocking against her front door harshly pulled Regina out of her thoughts. She was glad for it – though she would not dare to admit it, she was quite afraid of going back to sleep and even more afraid of staying awake. Staying awake, meant that she would think – about Daniel, about her mother, about Snow's death, about David…A part of her was not surprised when she opened the door to find the charming prince leaning against the doorframe. She was, however, quite startled at his clearly inebriated state. For a while, all they could do was stare at each other silently – each preoccupied with their own thoughts. Regina tried to avoid his eyes, his presence reminding her of the strange experience she had had in the Netherworld. There was a lot to say – she wanted to say sorry for the loss of his wife, she wanted to ask him why he was there, she wanted to share her gratitude at his presence, but the words would not come.

It was David who spoke first, his voice cracking with emotion.

"You're awake."

"Yes, David," she repeated with a nod, "I am awake."

Perhaps it was the alcohol or perhaps it wasn't but with hardly a moment passed and without any consideration for being gentle with her, he reached forward and pulled her roughly toward him with his hands on her head as he stepped in to her home and in to her as he crashed his mouth on to hers.

She drew in a sharp breath through her nose and her hands flew up to her sides so she would not touch him. She stumbled backward a few small steps but he followed her without breaking his kiss. It was wrong, Snow had just died, he had clearly been drinking, she was suddenly and unexpectedly awake and that brought a lot of emotions to the surface, none of those were good things on their own and when all put together it was by no means a foundation for lucid thought or good decision making.

But that didn't mean her mouth didn't soften beneath his nor did it mean her hands weren't thrown in to his hair while one of his spread against the small of her back to press her against him. With a quick breath she kissed him back with just as much ferocity and hunger that he had shown. She raked her fingers through his hair and he kicked the front door closed as he bit down on her bottom lip almost hard enough to draw blood.

It had shivers flying up and down her spine and the next thing she knew she was lifted, turned, and slammed against the wall with David's body against her nearly crushing her. She wound her legs around his waist with a quiet moan against his mouth. The sound had clearly snapped something inside him for quickly following the small moan were David's hands pulling roughly at her shirt, untucking it from the waist of her pants as his kiss grew rougher and harder.

Her breaths grew short, frantic, and needy when she felt his warm hands on her skin as he moved them firmly up her sides and caused her shirt to bunch up around his wrists. He tasted of alcohol but he was not a sloppy kisser. He knew exactly what he was doing.

His hands roamed heavily over her soft skin, feeling every muscle beneath move in turn. Lust had his fingertips bending further so his nails scratched down her sides and he forced her mouth open wider. Small whines and moans of pleasure sounded in her throat as her hands tried to grab at more of him. He dove to her neck and hungrily bit and kissed her there as he lifted his hands only to grip the open collar of her shirt and give it a good tug that sent the buttons flying.

She gasped when her shirt was torn from her body and then rocked her head back against the wall with a needy moan as she raked her fingers through his hair, scratching his scalp as his hot mouth travelled lower and lower. "David," she forced out through gritted teeth as she wound her legs tighter and felt his now hard length press against her between her legs. Her body was on fire and any and every lucid thought was erased from her mind leaving her with lust and a desire to see how accurately that sleeping curse had conjured him.

Soon enough she was trying to get her shaking hands to cooperate and unbutton the small buttons holding his shirt closed over what she was sure was a delicious body. She barely got two buttons open before he was pulling her off the wall with enough speed to have her winding her legs tighter and taking a grip of his shirt with her hands to make sure she didn't fall from him. Not that his tight grip around her waist would allow for that in the first place.

Once her balance was restored she began working at the rest of his buttons. When he reached the bottom of her staircase she detangled his legs from around his waist and forced her way back on to her own two feet while her hands pulled at his open shirt so he would follow her up the stairs and not drop her on the way up himself.

She was grinning at him and she was sure that lust darkened her eyes as much as they had darkened his. Pupils blown with arousal as she backed up the stairs with one hand on the railing to aid in guiding her without looking while the other took hold of his belt buckle and kept pulling. He had her head in his hands and was kissing her hard as he eagerly climbed the stairs with her.

Up the stairs and down the hall and in to her bedroom he followed her and once inside he spun her around and all but slammed the door shut with her body and pinned her beneath him once more.

The sound of the door shutting loudly had her momentarily snapping out of her lustful daze and David moved his hungry attention back to her neck, "Henry."

"Well then you best be quiet so you don't wake him," his whispered lowly and scraped his teeth up her neck and bit down lightly on the corner of her jaw as he slid one hand up from her hip and reached right next to her side and turned the lock on the handle. Her breath was shaky and she shivered beneath him which simply had him wanting her more, "you think you can handle that, your majesty?"

"Yes," she gave a breathy whisper and turned her head a little in search of his mouth as lust clouded over her again.

"Good," he whispered and then without further ado he dropped his head and kissed her again, hard and fast as he tried to rip the shirt from her arms. After a few moments of fighting she finally helped rid it from her body. Her skin was soft and flawless as he moved his fingers down her bare arm and he groaned a little with her bottom lip between his teeth when he felt her strong muscles flexing beneath his hands as she pulled at his belt.

The next thing he knew he was kicking his jeans and briefs to the side and she had the palm of her hand moving heavily up his hard cock. He moaned against her mouth and jerked her hips toward his and was more than happy to feel her grind against him, one hand gripping around the back of his neck and the nails and fingertips of the other moving over his tip.

It had his breath growing shallower and rougher between desperate and fervent kisses. He wanted her and he wanted her bad. His hand traveled down her thigh as he swivelled his head for another kiss and when he came to the bend in her knee he lifted her up of the ground and she bounced gracefully off her other leg and hooked it around his waist as he spun around to the bed.

He dropped her on her back on to the bed with a bounce and placed one knee on the bed to keep himself from falling on to her. He quickly tugged the open shirt from his body and watched her chest and abdomen rise and fall with sharp heavy breaths. Then he was down on top of her again, catching her mouth in a rough kiss as he slipped his hands behind her back and undid the clasp of her bra. Once undone he moved one hand to the front and pulled at it as he moved his mouth to her neck and she let out a gritty whimper as her nails dug in to the back of his neck after she threw her bra to the side.

His hands moved down her chest, toying with her breasts, moving down her sides, feeling every beautiful curve and muscle in his travels. His mouth was not far behind either. Tasting her, biting her, kissing every inch of her. She pushed her chest up toward his mouth when his mouth closed around the top of her breast and then let out a low moan and closed her eyes as she rocked her head back in to the bed and he played with a pebbled nipple.

His thumb moved over the other and his hot and heavy breath chilled the damp skin, causing her to shiver in further arousal. He moved lower and lower leaving hot wet kisses all over her body and she felt her heart all but heat out of her chest when he started tugging open the clasp on her trousers. "Shit!" She gasped under her short breath and then let out a small needy whine when she felt his incredibly hot breath pant through her trousers and to her core as he teased her and kissed her through the fabric.

He was too overcome with lust and arousal to grin at her need for him and instead placed another heavy kiss to her core over her trousers and followed through with a teasing bite that had her moaning and rocking her hips to him. His fingers hooked in to the waist of both her trousers and panties and as he started pulling them down he whispered in a low and husky voice, "are you wet for me, darling?"

Her entire body vibrated at those words and a small whimper made it past her parted lips as she raised her knees a little to aid in taking the remaining clothes from her body. She was trying to get a handle on herself but with every touch and every sound he gave her she lost all control and was reduced to a needy woman all but begging for release.

His cock was throbbing he was so hard and his fingers dug in to her skin and muscle as he pushed his hands back up her smooth bare legs and he rocked forward so he was above her again and his mouth was hardly an inch over hers. He hummed in lustful delight when he trailed his fingers down between her legs and found she was indeed as wet as could be. Her nails scratched down his sides as she moaned and rocked her hips up to meet his but he ignored her request. For the most part.

With a few rubbed circles by his thumb over her clit, he got her started before her pushed two fingers inside of her and heard her breath catch in her throat only to be followed by a small moan. She raised a knee up against his side and tried to pull his head down to meet her in a kiss but he resisted and pumped his fingers faster. As fast as he could, causing her eyes to snap open and her body to squirm with the quick and sudden build up of warmth deep in her belly.

Her voice was quiet at first but as it started to grow louder he slowed his pace to an easy rhythm and dropped his head for a demanding kiss that muffled her whine. "Hush," he whispered and she drew in a shaky breath to try and gather her bearings as his fingers started to pick up speed again.

"Fuck, David," she whimpered quietly as her hands pulled at his hair. She pushed her head back in to the bed and rocked her hips in to his hand, feeling her climax grow closer and closer with the fast speed and the heel of his hand slamming against her clit.

She was so close to coming when he pulled his fingers out and she let out a frustrated huff of air as she groaned and whimpered and tried to get the sensation back. She was rewarded with David moving the tip of his cock up and down through her wet arousal. She moaned and rocked her hips in to him. Nearly reduced to begging him to be in her. He was hard and he was thick and he was long and she didn't think she had ever wanted to fuck anyone more than him right now in her entire life.

She was about to take him in her own hand when he finally started guiding himself in to her. Her mouth opened with a silent vocal of pleasure as he slowly filled her and her nails dug little half moon shapes in to his skin. He groaned against her neck as he pushed himself in and the sound of his voice had her shivering in delight and her brow knitting together with the higher pitched and gasped vocals she let out in to his shoulder.

Her toes curled and her knees rose higher and dug in to his sides when he started rocking his hips and his length slid in and out of her a few inches at a time. It was slow at first, giving them time to adjust and savour before he gradually picked up the pace. His teeth scraped down her neck and that sensation combined with his hot, heavy, moist breath had her crying out in pleasure through her teeth.

She didn't like to be quiet.

His fingers of one hand threaded softly through her hair before taking a good strong grip and sharply yanked it, turning her head to meet him in a hard kiss. It was a mess of teeth, lips, tongues, and hands and it only lasted a few seconds before they were out of breath. The pure hunger and desire in his expression when he pulled back was nearly enough to send her over.

He kept his one hand in her hair and moved the other to her chest, his large warm hand pushing down on her round breast to keep his balance and leverage as he began pounding against her. His hand squeezed her breast, his fingers sometimes digging in to her as a method of releasing good tension rather than voicing it. His growls and moans made it through his clenched and bared teeth while her more feminine voice was managed down to a quieter volume or left to be breaths with underlying whines or whimpers or combinations of both and many more through her open mouth.

She pushed her head back with a scream that was almost too loud and her body convulsed with a sharp jolt of added arousal when David hit a particularly sensitive spot. He pushed her further with his hot tongue and biting teeth on her throat as her head stayed pushed back in to the bed. The result was a strangled cry of pleasure and nails scratching down his thick and strong biceps.

"Quiet," her growled and bit her jaw and then hissed through a wave of warmth when she turned her head and closed her eyes with a small whimper. Her face was twisted with sweet agony and the sight had him moaning through his teeth once more as he let go of her hair only to push his fingers through it again to take a new grip.

He was starting to lose control, he could feel it. His heart was pounding, his breaths were impossible to come by, she was so wet and so stunning, the sounds she was making were getting to him more than he believed possible, and the small pains of teeth and nails were much more enjoyable than he would have believed.

He dropped down to her chest, his teeth catching her collar bone and his tongue tasting the faint flavour of salt on her soft sweet skin. The hand in her hair let go and moved down, slowly and heavily sliding down her side, feeling every curve and every breath until it settled firmly on her hip while the other stayed on her breast. She began to twist and writhe beneath him but it only encouraged him to continue relentlessly.

Heat shot through his body when her nails scratched up over his hips and sides and then to his back and shoulders. His grip grew tighter around her hip and his other pushed down harder on her chest, giving her absolutely no room to get away as slammed harder and faster against her and sucked hard at her breast, likely leaving small bruises in his wake. She let out a small yelp of surprise at the increase in pace and was quickly panting harder and trying as best she could to keep the screams she wanted to give down to the hisses and whimpers she could only give.

She was losing control of her voice just as quickly as she was her body and he was right there with her. When he felt her muscles start to spasm and heard her voice start to reach a volume that would wake Henry, he lifted his head and kissed her hard and deep.

She couldn't breathe. Not with him pushing down on her chest, filling her mouth with his tongue, and fucking her so hard she didn't even know which way was up anymore. She was not complaining though. She fought for air in through her nose as best as she could but it all didn't matter anyway when he pushed her right over the edge. She couldn't help herself, couldn't help the loud scream that announced the orgasm raging through her as he continued pounding in to her. His mouth muffled most of the sound but it was still loud enough to wake a sleeping boy had the door been open.

He came right with her. The sound and feeling of her coming around him had him spilling inside her with a loud set of groans himself. He continued thrusting, kissing her hard as well until the both of them had ridden out their orgasms to their fullest extent and only then did he slowly back off the pace and force of his movements until he was at a rest.

She had an arm hung around his neck and the other hand on his chest while she had curled in on herself as much as she could and rested her forehead against his. Her breaths were ragged much like his and hers still carried a small whimper beneath them. She was vibrating beneath him with left over jolts of excitement and pleasure as he slid his hand back up from her hip and to her face where he tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and started laughing a little under his heavy breaths as he pushed his head against hers a little more.

At the sound of his laughter she couldn't help but smile and laugh a little with him before he dropped his head and kissed her. She let her head fall back in to the bed and he followed her down without breaking the kiss and relieved some of the pressure of his hand on her breast which made it a little easier to breathe. She could still taste the alcohol on his tongue but she doubted it was enough for him to forget her in the morning.


End file.
